#WRITER ALI IS BACK FROM THE WAR

[artsy-alice]

here comes a thought mdzs | sangcheng | 8.5k | fluff, instrospection, established relationship | complete

Jiang Cheng’s thoughts stray from his duty to look after his juniors - 'They’ll be fine, Wei Wuxian is there, their seniors are there, I’ve trained them well, I can not think about them for five seconds- WHAT THE FUCK WAS FATHER TRYING TO TELL ME?'

Jiang Fengmian is not a very good communicator. Jiang Cheng overthinks.

Read it @ Ao3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/63417769

...or @ my personal fic archive: https://lit.curiousest.net/read/here-comes-a-thought/

💟 the series: post masterlist | tumblr tag | bsky thread

[wholoveseggs]

Phantom Desires

18+ ---- {Masterlist} {Tag-List}

{Daemon Targaryen X Reader} Harrenhal is tormenting Daemon, blurring the lines between what is reality and what is a dream. The damp, cold castle is driving him mad—until he meets you. You smell like summer, feel like a dream, and your lips taste like honey. If only you weren't a ghost.

♡♡ I was super inspired by Daemons bad time at Harrenhal and I decided he needs more trauma ~xoxo ♡♡

5.3k words - Warnings: smuttt, ghost!reader, oral sex {m! & f! receiving}, Harrenhal lore, spooky shit, fiery death, Daemon is losing his mild, ghost sex, Alys Rivers being Alys Rivers {I love her}, horrifying as it is horny ...

♡♡ Tag-List ♡♡

{Daemon Targaryen Tag-List}

@elijahstwink @starshipcookie @absolutemarveltrash @odairtrqsh @darkened-writer @cheneyq @fallout-girl219

My love, please… 

Daemon was woken by a voice calling him softly from across the room. It sounds like the breeze through the curtains, but when he opened his eyes, all was quiet.

He loathed this place, the damp made his bones ache and in every dark corridor he felt as if he was being watched. He could hardly sleep a full night in the cursed castle.

My love, come with me…

This time when Daemon's eyes snapped open, he could see a figure at the end of his bed, silhouetted against the moonlight that shone through the open window. He reached for his dagger, but stopped when the figure stepped into the light and disappeared.

"Fucking hell." Daemon cursed, rubbing his eyes with his palms. Maybe the damp really was making him lose his mind. He couldn't even trust his own eyes anymore.

He laid back down and closed his eyes again, pulling the furs around his body tighter. Sleep. He told himself. Go. To. Fucking. Sleep...

You stood there, watching him sleep from the foot of his bed. He was a handsome man, his blonde hair was tousled against the dark furs of his bed, the moon casting silver across his features.

You crept closer, kneeling down on the edge of the bed, your hands smoothing the sheets. You longed to touch him, to feel his warmth, to feel his hands upon you.

My king…

You whispered, tears stinging your eyes. He would never hear you, no one could hear you. You watched him stir a little, his eyelashes fluttering, his face frowning in his sleep.

Please, I'm begging you. I don't want to burn. Don't let me burn…

Daemon's eyes snapped open. He was sure he had heard something. There it was again. Crying. Someone was crying.

He needed some air, this place was starting to make him paranoid. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed, pulled on his breeches and a jerkin before grabbing a torch and stepping into the hall.

The castle was quiet, his footsteps echoing along the empty halls. He wasn't a fool, believing in tales of ghosts and the like. But this place... he had seen things he couldn't explain.

Maybe it was the stress of the war. Of the guilt he was trying so hard to ignore. All the lives lost because of his actions. The lives of people he loved.

A sob cut through the silence, pulling Daemon back from his dark thoughts.

Don't burn me alive…

A voice, soft and pleading, echoed from the end of the corridor. It had to be a hallucination brought on by lack of sleep and the damp.

Please…

There it was again. Daemon turned on his heel, following the sobs until he found himself outside a small door. A woman's voice came through the wooden frame, crying, sobbing, pleading.

His hand went to the doorknob, he was shaking, terrified. What was happening to him? He had become so unmoored that he had lost his grip on reality? He knew the only way to get it back was to confront it head on.

When he pushed open the door, he saw you, standing in the dark corner of the room, your arms wrapped around yourself as you sobbed.

For a moment he just wanted to turn around and leave. He didn't have the capacity to console a crying woman right now. But then, he couldn't stop staring at you.

You turned, looking straight at him. Daemon felt a jolt in his stomach. Your eyes, they were beautiful. They seemed to glow with their own light.

"Are... Are you alright?" He asked you, cautiously, looking around the room for someone else. There was no one.

You wiped your tears, the reason you had been crying had already slipped your mind. The moment you saw the man before you, his blonde hair shining like the moon and his eyes, they were so piercing, like he could see right through you.

"I'm sorry, I must have gotten lost." You said, taking a step towards him.

He looked you up and down, his face twisted with confusion. You were dressed in finery, soft silks and velvets, the kind of thing a noble would wear. But this room, it was bare, cold and damp, not fit for a mouse let alone a woman of your beauty.

"I'm afraid I must have missed your introduction." He replied, giving you a curious look.

You smiled softly, it was the first time in so many years you had a visitor. He was handsome, strong, everything a man should be. You knew what he was, a Targaryen. A dragonrider. Born with fire in his veins.

You reached your hand out, and his eyes darted to it. He hesitated before taking it, half expecting his hand to pass right through you, but instead your fingers were warm, solid.

"I'm sorry for intruding, my lady. I thought this room was empty."

Your heart was pounding, the blood rushing to your ears. His touch, it felt like fire, power and there was an odd void to it. Like death rode beside him.

"It's alright." You whisper, not wanting him to let go.

"Are you a ghost?" He asked, his hand sliding up your arm, as if testing you, checking to see if you were real.

You laughed, how silly, "A ghost? No."

Daemon let out a shaky breath, "Thank the gods."

"Do you want something warm to drink? It can get so cold here," You asked, you wanted him to feel welcome, to calm the fire in his veins.

He seemed hesitant at first, but then he nodded, a small smile forming on his lips.

He followed you down the dark halls, keeping his torch aloft to light your way. The flames illuminating the damp, cold walls and the dust that floated through the air.

"You know, it wasn't always like this." You said softly, as you walked through the narrow passageways, your fingers running along the cold wet stone. "It was once a beautiful place, warm, welcoming."

He glanced around at the rotting floors and the moss growing along the stonework. He couldn't imagine it.

"My understanding is that it was always a cursed place, even before Aegon's arrival," he stated as the two of you entered the kitchens.

It was just as cold as the rest of the castle, but there was a fire going, and a basin full of fresh water. He lit the torches around the room and you began pulling out ingredients and preparing the tea.

Daemon leaned against the table, watching you work. You didn't look like you belonged in this place, you were too clean, too soft. Yet you behaved like you owned everything you touched.

"They say that before Harrenhal was built, it was a vast forest of heart trees," You said, focusing on putting some herbs and root vegetables into the pot over the fire, "That the trees themselves were Gods, and their roots are still underneath the stones, waiting to reclaim what is theirs."

"Sounds like a lot of nonsense," Daemon replied bitterly, his skepticism evident. 

"Yes," You agreed with a small smile, "But old stories often have a grain of truth to them."

He didn't understand why he was so drawn to you, why he sat and took the warm cup of tea that you handed him, or why he asked you to sit down next to him. He wasn't in the business of trusting people, but you... it felt like he had known you his whole life.

"The witch that resides here, Alys, said something similar," he added, remembering how she spun a tale about how this place was cursed. 

Your eyes darkened and your lips set in a line.

"Do not trust her," You tell him, your voice firm, "She sees things that are not there and hides secrets that are not her own."

He laughed and shook his head. "And what makes you so certain?"

You shrugged, "I see things too," you replied nervously, twiddling your fingers on your mug.

Daemon took a sip of his tea, an amused smile on his face and his eyebrows raised, "Is that so? Well, what do you see about me?"

You looked at him, your eyes studying every inch of his face, his hair, the scars along his neck. "You wish for things you don't really want," You whisper, "You seek violence, but deep down, you only want peace."

Daemon's face darkened, his jaw clenched and his hands tightened around his mug.

"Peace is for the weak," He replied harshly, his voice low, threatening, "Only the strong survive, and take what they want."

He looked so sad, so lonely. You wanted to reach out and comfort him, but you were scared. There was a rage in him, and a desperation that seemed to engulf him.

"I didn't mean to offend." You apologize, lowering your gaze.

You didn't look at him, your fingers running around the rim of your mug, until you felt him move closer to you.

"You didn't." He answered you, his voice softer, "Tell me more, about yourself. If you will."

You looked up at him and you could see his eyes had changed, softened, there was a curiosity there.

"How did you end up here?" He asked you, watching the fire dance in your eyes.

He could see a shadow of sadness in them, pain, worry. But then it disappeared, hidden behind a mask of a beautiful smile. You fascinated him, such a pretty flower growing amongst the cold unforgiving stone.

"My husband put me here." You told him, tracing your finger along the scarred wood of the table. "He's gone now, lost in smoke,”

You could tell he didn't know how to respond. But his expression told you that he had lost someone too. He just quietly nodded, taking another sip of his tea. He was starting to relax a little more, the warmth of the fire and the comforting smell of the drink was starting to put his mind at ease.

"Why did you think I was a ghost?" You asked him softly, your hand coming to rest on his arm, as though to remind him you were real, solid. 

Daemon sighed, rubbing a hand over his face, he didn't know how to answer that question without sounding insane. You could sense that a shadow hung around him like a stormcloud. His secrets coming to the surface.

"This place... It has a restlessness to it," he said, his voice low, cutting through the silence. "Some nights I lay awake listening to the walls groan, as though they are shifting and moving. I can hear... I can hear..." He trailed off, his voice getting hoarse.

You placed a hand on his cheek, his skin was rough and warm, and he leaned into your touch. You liked the way your skin felt against his, you wanted to assure him that you were trustworthy.

Daemon couldn't explain why he was telling you so much, but there was a calmness to you. When you touched him it felt like Dragonstone on a summer's day, like the feeling he got when he was alone in the clouds, flying far away from everything.

"Perhaps you are just lonely, and the castle is lonely too," You suggest to him.

Daemon couldn't deny the loneliness that plagued him. The nights were the worst, he had no one to confide in, no one to love him. He didn't want to think of his wife, his queen, far away and angry with him. Or his brother, dying alone and in agony. He had hurt them in ways that he could not atone for.

"Perhaps you are right," he admitted, taking your hand from his cheek and intertwining it with his own. 

You watched him, the firelight dancing across his handsome features. His blonde hair was like liquid silver and his eyes were beautiful, like a summer sky.

"Stay with me tonight," He told you, his thumb rubbing the back of your hand, his eyes pleading. There was a vulnerability in him, one that drew you in.

Daemon couldn't tell if he was being a fool, or if he was simply desperate to not be alone. The practical part of his brain told him that a good fuck would help him sleep, but this felt like something else. You were beautiful, there was no denying that, but you also felt like a dream, a figment of his imagination.

You didn't say a word, just stood up, still holding his hand, and led him from the kitchen, through the hall, past the courtyard, up the steps to his bed chambers.

The journey there felt like a blur, he couldn't take his eyes off you. The way your dress swayed, the way your hair bounced, the way the moonlight lit up your skin. It was like you were made of mist, or smoke, something that could fade away any moment.

The room was colder than when he left, the air smelled stale, and the curtains were flapping in the wind. It had a haunted quality, like a portrait whose eyes follow you around the room.

He had left the fire burning, but the warmth had been extinguished, and the flames were low. You moved to light the candles, giving the room a soft glow, but the darkness remained.

You turned to face him, he was watching you intently, waiting for you to make a move. You stepped closer, closing the distance between you, your hands sliding up his chest. He was so warm, so solid, full of life and power.

His hands tangled in your hair, pulling your face closer, and your lips met. It was a gentle kiss, hesitant, almost afraid. Like he was doing it for the first time.

His mouth was warm, the taste of the tea still on his lips. You could feel the desire building, the fire growing inside him. You pulled away, looking up at him. His eyes were dark, pupils dilated, a hunger in them.

"Please don't burn me," you whispered, the words sounding strange to his ears.

Daemon didn't understand what you meant by it, and his lust was too powerful to care. He captured your lips again, kissing you deeply.

Your fingers found the hem of his shirt, pulling it up over his head. The light of the candle flickered across his chest, illuminating the texture of his scars.

"You have seen battle," You comment, tracing the mark on his chest, a reminder of the war and the violence he craved.

"Many times," he said, his voice low, heavy with desire, "And I have many more to see."

"So much suffering," You whisper, leaning forward, kissing one that stretched across his chest, "So much blood."

He closed his eyes, letting the heat of your touch wash over him.

You moved down, dropping to your knees, pressing your lips against his stomach, feeling the hardness of his muscles. Your hands reached for laces of his breeches, untying them and freeing his cock from the confines.

He let out a shaky breath as your hand wrapped around him, slowly stroking his length.

"My king," you whispered, kissing the underside of his shaft.

Daemon let out a moan, his head falling back, his hand reaching out to grip the back of your neck. He needed more, needed to feel your lips wrapped around him.

You obliged him, opening your mouth, taking his cock into your hot, wet mouth. He groaned, his hips bucking forward, pushing himself deeper.

"Fuck," he hissed, his fingers tangling in your hair.

He looked down at you, his cock disappearing between your plump lips. The sight made him harder, and he was struggling to control himself. He wanted to fuck you, claim you.

Your hand reached down, cupping his balls, massaging them gently. Daemon moaned, his grip on your hair tightening, pulling your head forward, forcing his cock further down your throat.

He tasted like power, like a dragon made flesh. You could feel his pulse throbbing, the heat of his blood, the energy that pulsed through his body.

Daemon pulled you back by your hair, his cock popping out of your mouth, a string of saliva connecting you. He stared at you for a moment, before bending down and picking you up.

He carried you to the bed, dropping you onto the sheets. You looked up at him, his eyes were wild, and the smile on his face was pure lust.

He untied your dress, pushing the fabric aside, his hands sliding across your breasts. He bent down, his lips wrapping around your nipple, his tongue flicking over the sensitive nub.

Daemon groaned, his hands moving down, tugging on your skirts, pulling them up around your waist, leaving you completely exposed to him.

He continued kissing his way down, his lips trailing across your stomach, his hands lifting your thighs, pushing your legs apart.

He settled between your legs, kissing your inner thigh, gently nipping at the tender skin. You felt his warm breath against your cunt, a soft moan escaping your lips.

He chuckled, pressing his face between your thighs, inhaling your scent. You could feel his tongue licking the length of your pussy, his fingers probing, pressing inside of you.

You gasped, your back arching, your hands clutching the sheets. You had never felt anything like it before, the feeling of his mouth and fingers moving in tandem, making your whole body tingle.

"Don't burn me, don't burn me," you whispered, over and over.

He pulled away, his eyes filled with concern, but he did not speak, did not ask you what you meant.

Instead, he pressed his lips against yours, his tongue sliding into your mouth. You tasted yourself on his lips, and you moaned, wanting more.

His eyes were gentle, trying to convey a tenderness he did not have, and his voice was quiet, as he whispered, "You are not going to burn."

Your hands went to his chest, clutching his shoulders, and you let him spread your legs. He was still fully clothed, but his cock was free, the tip of his erection pressing against your entrance.

You gasped as he slowly pushed himself inside of you. You clung to him, wrapping your arms and legs around him, moaning softly as he began to thrust.

He moved slowly at first, allowing you to adjust to his size, but he quickly increased his pace, pounding into you, the sound of flesh slapping together echoing through the chamber.

"My king, my king, please don't-" you moaned, feeling him hit a good spot inside, sending sparks through your body.

He didn't listen, didn't understand what you meant, just continued to fuck you, his fingers digging into your thighs. He could feel his climax building, his cock throbbing inside of you.

You could feel him getting close, his breathing becoming ragged, his movements becoming erratic. You fell over the edge together, crying out as he released his seed deep inside you.

"My king, oh my king," you moaned, your nails digging into his back, leaving deep red marks.

He collapsed on top of you, panting heavily, his head resting on your chest. He didn't know why you kept calling him king, perhaps you were a bit confused about his status. But he wasn't going to correct you, he enjoyed the way it sounded coming from your lips.

You stroked his hair, his breathing slowly returning to normal. You could feel his heart beating, his warmth, his power.

"Don't leave," he whispered, his voice barely audible.

"I won't," you promised him, the words slipping from your lips before you could stop them.

You felt him slowly fall asleep, his weight comforting on top of you.

There was a strange peace in the room, the darkness and the chill receded, the candlelight dancing across the stonework.

You held him, running your fingers through his hair, humming a tune that was as old as the castle itself.

Daemon woke to the sounds of screaming. His eyes shot open, his hands grabbing for his sword that was always close by. He was alone in his bed, the fire long since extinguished, the only light coming from the full moon.

He didn't have time to worry about where you had gone, the sounds of people shouting and a dragon roaring had him jumping out of bed, quickly dressing.

He ran down the corridor, the stones were ice cold, and the air smelled stale, the shadows dancing menacingly along the walls. He had to push against a door, it was swollen from the damp, but when he burst through, the smell of burnt flesh was thick.

You were in the courtyard, standing in the middle, your white dress glowing in the moonlight. You turned to look at him, your eyes full of tears.

"Please don't burn me," you begged him, your voice breaking.

The roar of the dragon filled his ears, and the sky was lit up with orange flames. He looked to the sky for the source of it, had Aemond arrived with Vhagar?

He was horrified when he saw that the dragon was not Vhagar, but the largest dragon he had ever seen. It looked like Balerion, but it had three heads.

He watched as it descended, its wings so large that with every movement, the sound of the wind would change, becoming deafening, thunderous.

He turned to look back at you, to tell you to run, but you were now right in front of him. Your face was mere inches from his own, burned black, melted, half of it hanging off.

"My king," you cried, your voice a broken, raspy sound. "Why did you burn me,"

Daemon screamed, then woke up in his bed. His body covered in a sheen of sweat, his heart pounding.

The bed next to him was empty, cold, the fire still burning low. He could still hear the screams, the dragon, the pain and suffering, still smell the ash and the charred flesh.

The sun was shining through the window, the sound of birds singing. Everything was peaceful, the castle was still, silent.

He sat up, his breathing slowing, his pulse returning to normal. He looked around the room, there was no sign of you, no sign that the night had ever happened.

He ran his fingers through his hair, trying to calm himself. It had just been a dream, a vision. Nothing more.

But he could still smell you on the sheets, and the image of you was burned into his memory. He got up, dressing quickly, needing to move, to do something.

He spent the day meeting with vassals and lords, discussing matters of the realm. Trying to keep his mind busy. He felt as though he was slowly losing his grip on reality, he swore he could see you around every corner, could hear your voice in every creak and groan of the castle.

The sun had set, and the candles were burning low. The castle was quiet, the servants had gone to bed, the halls empty. He felt like he was completely alone, the only one left in the vast void of this wretched place.

He made his way down to the kitchens, looking for you. It was a foolish thing to do, he knew, but he had to find you, had to see if you were real.

He found Alys, sitting on a stool next to the fireplace, her nose buried in a book.

"Evening," she said without looking up, "Tea is in the pot."

Daemon didn't want tea, he didn't want anything other than to know you were alright.

"Have you seen the new girl?" He asked her, trying to keep his voice even, trying to seem nonchalant.

"Who?" She asked, still not looking up.

"She..." Daemon tried to describe what you looked like, but when he tried to picture you in his mind, the only image he could see was the one from his dream, your burned and melted face.

Alys watched him with a slight smirk, this dragon lord was unraveling so quickly, it was delicious. She went back to focusing on her book. "Doesn't ring a bell,"

He knew there was no point in trying to get more out of her, so he gave up and left the kitchen.

"Perhaps she is where you left her?" Alys suggested, her laughter echoing after him.

He walked back to his chambers, his heart pounding, his palms sweating. He stood outside the door for a moment, before gathering his courage and stepping inside.

The room was dark, the curtains were still closed, the air cold. There was a book lying open on his bed, one he did not remember leaving there.

He picked it up, holding it far away from him, like it could burn him. It was a book of the histories, of the conquest. Of Harren the Black and his sons burning alive.

He wondered who else died in the blaze, the nameless faces who were forgotten by history, the servants and slaves, the wives and daughters.

Daemon was sure he was losing his mind, the castle was haunting him, and it was only a matter of time before he became one of its ghosts.

Don't burn me… My king…

He remembered the fear in your voice, the sadness, the pleading. Anger and confusion bubbled in his chest and he threw the book across the room, the pages fluttering as it landed.

He needed sleep, this was all because he wasn't sleeping. Once he was rested, his mind would be clearer. He put no stock in dreams or visions, ghosts and monsters, that was for children and fools, this was all just because he was tired.

He got ready for bed, blowing out the candles, the moonlight casting shadows across the walls. He settled into bed and closed his eyes, waiting for sleep to take him.

You watched him lay there, his brow furrowed, his face troubled. He tossed and turned, his eyes fluttering open and closed.

You laid down next to him, gently placing your hand on his cheek. He calmed at your touch, his breathing slowing. You pressed a kiss to his forehead, his skin warm, and his hair tickled your lips.

"My king," the words fell from your lips, barely above a whisper.

He opened his eyes, nearly jumping out of bed when he saw you, laying right next to him, your head on the pillow.

"What are you doing?" He demanded, his voice harsh, his hand gripping the dagger under his pillow.

You sat up, your hair falling around you, your dress slipping off your shoulder. "I was just... I just..." You tried to find the words, tried to think of what you were doing, where you were. "...I missed you," you said, the words not feeling quite right, but they were the only ones that came.

He stared at you, his eyes wild, his hand gripping the dagger so tightly, his knuckles were white.

"How did you get in here?" He asked, his voice low, dangerous.

You thought about it, trying to remember, but it was like there was a fog covering your mind.

"I don't know, I've always been here," you said, your voice trembling, tears starting to form. "I just wanted to see you."

He let go of the dagger, and took a deep breath.

"What is your name?" He asked, his eyes studying you.

"I- I don't know," you stammered, the tears falling freely now.

He reached out and touched your face, wiping away the tears with his thumb. His hand lingered, his fingers brushing against your cheek.

"You're not real are you?" He asked, his voice full of sadness.

"Yes I am," you cried, grabbing his hand, pressing it against your cheek. "I'm right here."

He sighed, closing his eyes. "Who do you think I am?"

"You're the dragon king," you said, smiling through the tears, “the great conqueror,”

He stared at you, his eyes filled with sorrow. "What is my name?" He asked, his voice barely a whisper.

"Aegon," you said, the word felt right, like it belonged in your mouth, but the fear in his eyes told you otherwise.

He pulled away from you, moving to the edge of the bed, his back to you. He felt your arms wrap around him from behind, your breasts pressing against his back, your head resting on his shoulder.

"You're not really Aegon," you whispered, "Are you?"

He shook his head, his eyes staring at the floor.

"I'm not real?" You asked, your hands clutching his shoulders.

"No, no you're not," he whispered.

Suddenly you were kneeling in front of him, your hands resting on his thighs, your head tilted to look at him.

"Then why can I touch you?" You asked, running your hands up his thighs.

He didn't answer, just pulled you into his lap and pressed his lips to yours. You melted into him, his hands on your waist, his lips parting.

You tasted sweet, like honey, like a spring day, the flowers blooming. He needed you like a fire needs air, like a man needs water, his hands moving down to your hips, pulling you closer.

He moaned into the kiss, your hips rolling against him. You could feel his hardness beneath the fabric, the heat radiating from him. Your hands untied his shirt, pushing the fabric aside, revealing his bare chest.

You kissed his neck, biting and sucking on the tender skin. He groaned, his hands moving to your hair, tugging, pulling you away from his neck.

You stared at him, your eyes dark, full of lust, your lips swollen. He pulled you back in, his mouth crashing into yours, his hand moving to the back of your neck, holding you in place.

He lifted your skirts, his hand dipping beneath the fabric, easing a finger inside you. You gasped against his lips, his touch sending shivers through your body, your hands gripping his shoulders. He slipped another finger inside you, pumping slowly, then adding another. His eyes never left yours as the intensity increased, moving faster, your breath coming in short gasps.

Your lips brushed his, your voice a breathy moan. "Please my king.... Don't burn me, don't burn me,"

Daemon froze.

"I can't burn you," he said, his voice hoarse. "You're already dead."

Your face crumpled, the tears flowing freely, sobs wracking your body. The sound of you crying echoed strangely in the chamber, the shadows growing longer, the light from the moon turning crimson.

"I'm dead? You killed me?" You cried, trying to pull away from him, but he wouldn't let you go.

"I didn't kill you," he said, his eyes locked on yours. "That was someone else, in another time,"

You looked at him, your eyes wide, your mouth open in a silent scream. He watched in horror as your skin began to bubble and blister, peeling off in chunks. It was like you turned into sand in his arms, slowly crumbling, falling through his fingers.

You screamed, a blood curdling, terrible sound, like the screams he had heard in his nightmare. You were being consumed by fire, the flames eating away at your flesh, burning, boiling, the smell of burning meat filling the air.

He couldn't look away, couldn't let go. He was frozen in place, trapped, watching as you were destroyed. Then you vanished from his lap, fading into nothing.

Daemon sat in his bed, his skin clammy, his breathing ragged. He clutched his head, his fingers digging into his scalp. He couldn't take this anymore. He was going mad.

"Don't leave me here in this place," he whispered, he did not know why he had said it, but he did. It was a plea, a desperate, hopeless plea.

But you had left. Because you were never real.

And this wretched castle was just as lonely as before.

[bellamyblake]

Hey everyone! This list was made by the wonderful @b4bethsstuff who's a relentless reader of fics (old and new) and posted all year long, keeping us interested in the new stuff and reminding us of old precious gems that I personally reread!

This is her list that I was inspired to recreate with a banner. (There's just a few additions of mine but everything else is hers!) Hope you'll enjoy!

This is also a former thank you to the amazing writers who created for us this year! Without you we'd be nowhere, so thank you so much!

Region 7 by winterseasalt- Alternate universe-Met on the Ark Station, Canon divergence, Slow burn, Fake/Pretend relationship: When they reached the door to Bellamy’s unit, Clarke’s suspicions were all but confirmed. His hand reached out to scan his arm in front of the lock pad, but froze before it got there. Clarke looked up at him, and he threw his eyes back at her wildly. Bellamy opened his mouth and closed it again, like he couldn’t find the words he was looking for, his arm still suspended in the air a few inches from where it would open the lock. He looked absolutely terrified.

Between Earth and Sky by Firelily_14-Alternate universe-canon divergence, Sexual tension, Drinking games, Blood and injuries:

Bellamy and Clarke broker a peace deal with Trikru. They bring down the Mountain and the 100 can finally breathe a sigh of relief. With peace secured, living on the ground becomes the 100's top priority, but living on Earth is challenge enough.

An exploration on what the 100 would be if there was no more war, no mountain men, and the characters were given a year to breathe. Bellarke focused.

Prize by honestlydarkprincess-Alternate universe-Modern setting, Roomates/Housemates, Getting together, Mutual pining;

Bellamy and Clarke make a bet for who can last the longest for No Nut November.

Or, the one with just so. much. pining.

Boss by Mia_Emilia-Alternate universe-Mob, Arranged marriage, Alpha, Beta, Omega dynamic,Angst;

The Blake household, it certainly makes sense why her mom didn’t want her messing things up with him and based on the little information she has gathered so far and the way people look at him, he must be The Boss.

The Blake’s are arguably one of the top three largest and most well respected, also feared, families in the country. Two years ago they had attended the funeral of the former head of the family Vincent Blake, the man was old. They had called his son “The Rebel King”, he was known for his particular brutality, cunning, and is supposed to be incredibly tactical. He has no problem going against the norm to get what he wants hence the name. And yet, if it wasn’t for the coldness in his eyes, nothing about his face screams blood thirsty, ego manic.

You don't deserve it by bellofthetolppl-Alternate universe-Canon divergence, Post series/season 3; Hurt/Comfort; Angst;

Post 3x16-Kane feels horrible for hurting Bellamy and almost killing him when he was under ALIE's control. He wants to help him out, take care of him just like Clarke but he refuses it due to his stubborn seflless nature. But also because Bellamy doesn't believe that he deserves to be saved. Everyone else try to prove him wrong. Angst and fluff ensue.

An Unkindness of Stars by LoverGurrl411-Alternate universe-Canon divergence; Friends to lovers; Slow burn; Angst and hurt/comfort;

Bellamy and Clarke meet on the Ark when they're 13 and 11 years old. Octavia's been discovered, Bellamy just wants to save his sister, and Clarke just wants to help. Somehow, a crazy plan later, Clarke and Bellamy stand together against all odds, even when they're millions of miles apart.

In the backseat of your Rover by ohsupernaturall-Survival, Dehydration, Aftermath of a nuclear apocalypse;

Eden- Missing Moment #1 (I strongly recommend you read this too though without it, the fic makes sense as well)

Little drabble that follows Bellamy and Clarke during the Eden-verse.

After Praimfaya, Bellamy and Clarke are sitting in the Rover, with nothing except each other, some music and confused feelings.

Sleeping beauty by ohsupernaturall-Fairytale, Princess Clarke Griffin, fairytale curses, protective Bellamy Blake;

Because every story has a beginning, a middle and an end. --------------------------------------------- I walked with you, once upon a dream. Or A Bellarke spin on Sleeping Beauty

let the cold come in (you'll chase it away) by itsagamefortwo-Alternate universe-Canon divergence, Fluff, Sharing clothes, 5+1 fics, five times Clarke steals Bellamy's clothes;

clarke learns she hates the cold the hard way, bellamy keeps showing up to keep her warm. aka 5 times bellamy gives clarke something to keep her warm and the 1 time clarke gives something to bellamy.

and we found heaven and time by billiedawn-Alternate universe/No Praimfaya; Unplanned pregnancy, Guilt, Shame, Fluff and angst;

Clarke Griffin is pregnant. No one knows, except her. So far.

In every universe by lightyears-Alternate universe-Modern setting; they love each other a lot;

Clarke meets Bellamy by chance. Sometimes, it stresses her out thinking about the possibility of them not meeting.

Star Crossed Business Partners by Silverloc-Alternate universe-Modern setting; Fake/pretend relationship; Fake dating;

The Griffins and the Blakes have always hated each other in a feud that has gone on for decades. But now, Clarke and Bellamy have secretly united to bring down their families' companies and take back control. One problem however: his sister thinks they're dating.

this is what winter feels like by headxheartwriter-Alternate universe-Canon divergence; Post S3; Sharing a bed, Love confessions; Angst and romance;

Bellamy’s silence spoke volumes, his gaze shifting from the floor to meet Clarke’s, revealing a tumult of emotions he struggled to articulate. Clarke, perceptive and direct, cut to the core of the matter. “You’re jealous, aren’t you?” she asked, her voice steady, probing the depths of Bellamy’s feelings with a question that demanded honesty.

You were never not mine by griffenly-Alternate universe-Modern setting; Fluff; Everyone thinks they're together;

Everyone they meet assumes that Bellamy and Clarke are dating. And, really - they're not.

Once bitten by anonymous-Alternate universe/Mob; Arranged marriage; Alpha/Beta/Omega dynamics;

Clarke is 17 when she meets the man she’s going to marry. It’s nothing romantic at all. There’s no lightning, no fireworks, no fabled mate bond snapping into place. The alpha just looks her up and down, turns back to her new stepfather, and says: “She’ll do.”She barely has a chance to get a look at him before she’s hustled off: Bellamy Blake, capo of the New York Outfit. He looks— young.

To Capture a Witch by Mindlikeariver-Alternate universe-Fantasy; Alternate universe-Werewolf; Alpha Bellamy Blake;

Clarke is a witch on the run from her mate, Bellamy, who just so happens to be the Alpha of his pack. She was doing so well at it too, at least until she helps a runaway. Suddenly Bellamy is on her tail, and he refuses to lose her again.

The day they stopped counting by Lexi_Noctura-Alternate universe-Canon Divergence, After Praimfaya, Family fluff;

Praimfaya has long past, and finally Bellamy was happy. It was almost prefect. He had Clarke, their son Percy as well as Madi, and the rest of his friends all around him, alive and happy. And instead of just surviving Earth, they were thriving, living.

Something to talk about by grace_and_lucidity and kguptill- Alternate universe-Canon Divergence, Pining Bellamy Blake; Angst;

Leadership is a lonely business. No one knows that more than Bellamy Blake. He admires Clarke for being able to lead in ways he can't, by talking to people. Only what if she's doing more than talking? His suspicions build until he decides to confront her for a discussion of his own.

Noise complaint by superficialseer-Alternate universe-Modern Setting; Alpha/Beta/Omega dynamic; Roomates/Housemates; Sharing a bed;

"We'll need lots of rules," Clarke whispers, a little too eager to feign believable hesitance. Jittery, aware of the looming disaster inevitably ahead and still willing to acquiesce. "Boundaries." It's hard to think straight, hard to pretend to be concerned with something as terrible as being away from each other when being so close; every shared exhale kicking up a tantalizing undercurrent of mouth-wateringly familiar scent.

wreck my plans, that's my man bellsrke-Alternate Universe-Modern Setting; Friends with benefits; Boss/Employee relationship;

When Clarke made the offer to go down on her boss two months into her internship, she hadn't fully expected him to say yes. She definitely hadn't expected them to end up in a secret, no-strings-attached, mutually beneficial agreement, but it's easy and uncomplicated - at least, until she starts to develop real feelings for him. Then it's suddenly not so easy and uncomplicated at all.

Voiceless by Moonlight1234-Alternate universe-Canon divergence; Torture; Medical Expirimentation; Suffering; Injury; (I had to add the whump, I'm sorry, not sorry!!!!!)

There’s a noise to his left near the treeline, immediately drawing his attention. He grabs the pistol tucked into his waistband, eyes scanning for anything moving. A small cylinder rolls towards Bellamy, and he’s at least half convinced that it’s about to blow up. It doesn’t though, and it just starts spewing smoke. Bellamy tries not to breathe it in, but he ends up passing out anyway. He’s in a cage when he wakes up, and immediately starts to panic in his head.

we turn the page by whatspastisprologue-Alternate universe-Canon divergence; Post canon; Fix-it; Fluff and Angst;

After over a year (in Earth’s time) on Sanctum, Clarke was convinced she had seen every party imaginable. But she wasn’t prepared for the absolute extravagance of the New Year’s Festival. People began making (and selling) elaborate ball gowns (and bespoke suits) months in advance. Jewelry, both old and new, was bartered or loaned between families and friends. Small charms and tokens began popping up everywhere for people to buy to celebrate the past year and the hope for a happy, prosperous and peaceful new one. Businesses shut down, schools closed, and everyone came together to celebrate, enjoying the new community that had sprung up from the ashes of their old one. Clarke was absolutely dreading it.

It Had to be You bellarkegriffin_blake-Alternate universe-Modern setting; Angst with a happy ending; Cheating; Rekindled love;

Clarke is tired of living in constant depression after her long term boyfriend randomly left her a year ago, so she decides that a new job and a new part of town would be a good start for her new life. What she learns instead is that her past can’t easily be outrun or forgotten, especially when your new neighbor is exactly the person you were running from.

[sleepstxtic]

Birthday Fic Reclist - NV-MD

Dear Ali @nv-md, happiest birthday to you!!!! <3 You are such a brilliant writer and the best beta and the kindest, warmest friend, and also such an important part of my (and so many others'!) fandom experience. I appreciate so much that I get to share this space with you and bask in your creative work, and be able to hang around in your incredibly uplifting and positive orbit <3 Thank you for all you do here, I'm so happy you're in this fandom, truly.

This is a reclist of some of my favourite Ali fics, and has some of the "Ali classics" mixed in with some hidden gems that I adore so very very much!!!! (It was very hard to choose a top 5 because Ali is SO prolific and has over 70 works on her AO3, all SPECTACULAR!!)

Let Me Take You Home | M | 1k | Ginsy

FEMSLASH MY BELOVED!!! This is a Ginsy that I rec SO hard. The characterisations are brilliant, and Ali's writing hits just right. Set in a fragile, post-war world where everyone is struggling to heal, and Ginsy find each other and learn to heal together. There is so much story and depth packed into just 1k words, and a beautiful repeating motif that comes together so satisfyingly at the end. BEGGING EVERYONE TO READ THIS <3

Draco Malfoy Absolutely Does Not Need to Be Loved by Harry Bloody Potter | E | 18k | Drarry

This fic!!! This masterpiece!!!! It is SUCH a sweet, funny, lovely fuckbuddies-to-lovers accidental bonding fic that just hits all the beats PERFECTLY. The pining is so sweet and delicious and the getting together is just the perfect amount of fluffy and heartfelt. The BEST read for when you want something light and fun that you can just sink yourself into and enjoy to the fullest. <3 (Oh and there is also some spectacular art to go with it!!)

but first, we fight | E | 8k | Drarry

THIS FIC OH MY GOD THIS FIC. It's a distinctly different flavour to the one above but is still equally incredible and such a riveting read. The Drarry dynamic here is ELECTRIC. LITERALLY IT IS SIZZLING. Fighting-to-sex at its FINEST! The angst is scrumptious and hurts so good, and I would recommend this so so extra hard to anyone who is looking for a spicy enemies to lovers story to kick back with <3 Featuring Drarry as extremely competent Auror partners + a host of delectable kinks. SO GOOD!!!!

Bite Me - Vampires All Day | 6k | T-E | Drarry

Cheating a bit with this one since this is a series and not a fic, but I can't help it!!! IT'S SO GOOD. Drarry as vampire boyfriends is DELICIOUSLY DARK. Another suuuper fascinating Drarry characterisation (Ali finds so many different ways to portray their dynamic, without ever compromising on what makes them them!). Harry and Draco are both so enticingly jaded and cruel. Reading about these murder boyfriends zipping around the world leaving a trail of bodies in their wake is something only Ali could make simultaneously spine-tinglingly dark and SIZZLING HOT!! Also, they write 1st person POV so good, and this fic is no exception!!!

Kiss Me, Fuck Me, Love Me | 5k | E | Drarry

One of my actual favourites from Erised this year, this was such a delightful and sexy romp. The non-linear timeline was so so masterfully done, the way we went back and forth until we converged on New Year's. The pining was so sweet (Ali's pining is always top tier! I'm such a sucker for it, as you can tell xD) and the getting together was CHEF'S KISS. Highly recommend this if you're looking for another light-hearted (and hot!) read <3

Eeeee once again, HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALI!!!! WE LOVE YOU!! <333

[vaginawoolf666]

Gather round for Sapphic Book Recs that do not have cartoon people on the cover and are good/well-written (with some nonfiction)

This is How You Lose the Time War by Amar El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone (this is just an obvious pick at this point but it’s so fucking good)

Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield (lesbian who gets stuck in a submarine for several months comes back different and her wife tries to get through to her)

Private Rites by Julia Armfield (three gay main characters who are deeply flawed, set during a slow apocalypse)

Girl Meets Boy by Ali Smith (a great book about gender fluidity for the lesbian boyfriends)

Hotel World by Ali Smith (the first story from the perspective of a ghost who fell in love with a girl who works at a watch shop :,) )

Siren Queen by Nghi Vo (fictionalized Hollywood with magical realism and an Asian lesbian narrator)

In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado (tw for emotional/physical abuse)

After Sappho by Selby Wynn Schwartz (discussions of lesbian writers throughout history that is very speculative while also grounded in research)

Sirens and Muses by Antonia Angress (art school drama, girls kissing)

Art and Lies by Jeanette Winterson (a book where three historical figures exist at the same time including Sappho and a lesbian gender-bent Picasso)

Oranges are Not the Only Fruit by Jeannette Winterson (tw for religious trauma, physical abuse, homophobia)

READ MORE VIRGINIA WOOLF OMG PLEASE READ THE WAVES ITS THE BEST BOOK EVER WRITTEN IM SO SERIOUS

[merp0515]

Fanfiction Writer Apperation Post!

Ayo all Merp here! I hope everyone is having a great time whatever time zone you got. I'm a simply derpy ass artist that likes to draw stuff that the Internet has shown me! That includes lovely fanfiction stories I tend to read a lot about. Which is why this post is here to bring a HUGE appreciation for someone in the SMG4 community more from the SMG34 squad! My great friend and a badass from many projects featuring their own series such as "Next Step With You!", @shygirl4991 !

We all have known them from many spots that they are part of like the one they are doing with @lizaluvsthis in "Brewing Romance", "The Chains of a Fragile Soul" with @b-r-i-n-g-x , and "Spilt Into Three's/Six Splits For Four" with the artwork done by @alianarepasa !

They have also done some cool group collab with lots of people, bringing out the artworks each group puts out such as "Coffee Prince and The Frog" (collab with Liz and Aly), and "Shadow Vision" (Bringx, Liz and Aly)!

They never fail to be inspired by many other people that sometimes have ideas for our favorite gays but either don't have the time to do them or they want to do it but don't know how to put into words! Some of these beautiful ideas that came to life thanks to Shay's amazing writing skills are "Just A Dream", "Trade For You" ideas inspired by @therabbitdemon , and "Death Of SMG3" requested by @anartisticalniche !

I had the honor of making the cover art for their cute fluffy "Doll Confessions" fic they made a while back collabing with Bringx's adorable GMod photos she did! Even though what got me into their stories was through "Brewing Romance", there's another story that got me into them and had me always checking fanfiction sites to see if they made anything new and that's one of their many solo projects "Azure Potion!"

It's always fun making art covers for them or draw out characters they've created over time with the plethora of stories done by our lovely writer! I highly recommend checking out their other solo stories such as "Forklift Date", "Mistletoe Wars", "True Colors", "Trapped In a Bleakly Winter", and "A Shot of SMG34"!

There's definitely more stories they've written for these lovey gays but it's gonna take me a while to put them on here lol. Nonetheless while we artist have a blast in creating art for all your favorite fanfictions, please don't forget to show some love to the brains behind the whole thing! Without them, we wouldn't be able to enjoy making all the amazing art to show our love and appreciation for ALL of their hard work! As one that does both art and writing (even though I don't really post many stories on here because my writing style is still a work in progress), I'd love to be recognized by both my art AND the writing I do! Remember to see who's the original writer first before commenting anything!

Anyways……

THANK YOU SHAY FOR ALL THE BEAUTIFUL STORIES YOU CREATED FOR THE FANDOM! WE ALL LOVE AND APPRECIATE YOUR HARD WORK LAD!

Never stop doing what you love and keep on writing! 😄

And to all you lovely writers in this fandom. We love and appreciate all the hard work you all do as well! Keep on writing and create lovely stories to share with everyone! :)

Have a mini colleague of some the art I made for Shay's stories in the past including the cover I did for "Doll Confessions"!

[undertheorangetree]

How to Improve HOTD S2

This is truly just me feeling frustrated with the second season and screaming into the void. Feel free to ignore it I wrote it at 10pm in a hater spiral and probably have some information wrong

1. Shift away from the Alicent vs Rhaenyra thing and highlight Aegon vs Rhaenyra. It would be hard when zero relationship had been established in season 1 but after Jaehaerys’s murder it would have been SOOO easy to shift the focus of Team Green on to Aegon and make him really want to take Nyra down.

2. Speaking of Nyra I’m begging them to give her some agency. Her son was MURDERED. She spent TEN DAYS SEARCHING FOR HIS BODY. She should’ve been ready and raring to go to war at the end of episode one!! She should be doing everything she can to destroy those who took her baby boy from her!! Instead they had her crying about going to war and no one taking her seriously for 5 episodes. Let her be morally grey I’m begging you she is not a saint nor should she be

3. Introduce Ulf and Hugh WHEN they claimed their dragons. No one cares about their lives yet. Regular viewers don’t know who they are. They can talk backstory once you’ve shown why they’re important

4. While we’re introducing characters GIVE US SOME TIME WITH DAERON. Non book readers have no idea who he is. Establishing his place in Oldtown, the fact that he has a dragon, the dichotomy between himself and his brothers all would have been GREAT to see before they started throwing his name around.

5. More screentime for the younger generation! Helaena lost so much of her arc due to them removing her fall into madness (which I’m not mad at btw) but showing her grief would’ve still been nice. Baela is ride or die for house targaryen and that’s about all we’ve seen from her, plz give my girl some agency. Rhaena is angry about being cast aside and that’s got so much meat for character motivations but EVEN THE WRITERS ARE IGNORING HER AND GIVING HER ONE 30 SECOND SCENE EVERY OTHER EPISODE. Jace is also being done dirty, they should be establishing reasons why we should care about him and why he’s such a good heir before the battle of the gullet (which in an ideal world would’ve been where we ended season 2 but).

6. ENOUGH WITH THE HARRENHAL ARC!! The first few scenes were fine but now it’s just repetitive. Daemon wanting to be king in his own right came out of nowhere and will have zero consequences when we all know Nyra is just going to take him back when he’s done pouting. He’s literally just wandering around Harrenhal like a freak. That arc needed 3 episodes at the absolute max to establish the castle and Alys and the river lords and then he should’ve come back. I hate him but they’re wasting his character.

7. Aemond turning into a super villain?? After we established he regretted what he did to Luke?? Trying to take out his own brother for power is fine and I support you if that’s what you want king but maybe give us some more context other than “brother bullies you in front of his friends”?? Maybe my sister was just mean but that’s an average sibling experience as far as I’m concerned. It would have made more sense with the characterization they had already given him if Aemond had been given no choice but to burn Aegon in order to save him and take out Rhaneys and Meleys. The 180 into anime villain felt way too abrupt (like dany going mad sorry)

8. Alicent and Cole………… as much as I fly the Alicent is gay flag it could’ve made sense if they didn’t just immediately beat us over the head with it. We were immediately thrown in the deep end of them having a sexual relationship with zero context other than “everything you feel for me… as your queen” PERHAPS GIVE US SOMETHING MORE. I actually would have loved Alicent reclaiming her sexuality after 20+ years of having to fuck her rotting old husband but they went about it the wrong way.

9. Speaking of Alicent, I feel like they truly do not know what to do with Alicent. They took away every ounce of agency she could have had in order to make her a victim and now they don’t have anything for her to do. They just keep taking everything from her in a way that just shoves her character in a box while also trying to maintain her as one of the main characters?? It’s just all very odd to me

10. In that same vein, I feel like they don’t really know what to do with ANYONE honestly. Game of Thrones also had a big cast following multiple locations but somehow juggling between them all felt much cleaner than it does here. It’s as if they lose track of their characters and forget about them so they throw in a quick 30 second scene to be like “btw they’re still here!!”

11. I need more character interactions. Aegon/Helaena. Daemon with his children. Just people you expect to have some kind of relationship. I don’t think any of those characters have ever actually had a significant interaction with each other which feels absolutely WILD to me but

12. STOP WITH THE TEAMS!!! STOP IT!!! There is no good guy and bad guy here and there shouldn’t be. It’s a monarchy, a whole ass empire that has its roots in an even worse empire. None of the Targaryens are good. They aren’t gods. Rhaenyra has been completely screwed over due to the patriarchy but being a victim doesn’t make you a good person. She’s still sacrificing the country for her birthright. Let her be evil, morally grey, ANYTHING is better than her pushing against common sense in order to seem like a good guy. Aegon and co as well shouldn’t be portrayed entirely of super villains and victims. They’ve also done a shitty thing but at the very least give us some nuance no one is entirely good or bad.

13. This is nitpicky so it’s at the end but it’s called house of the DRAGON. I wanna see more rider/dragon interaction. I shouldn’t be introduced to a dragon the same episode it’s maimed (Sunfyre). You shouldn’t be telling me one of the main characters has a dragon when we haven’t so much as heard her speak about it (Dreamfyre). If a bond is so important between a dragon and it’s rider I want to see that bond

• IN THAY SAME VEIN why was vermithor letting nyra and daemon get all up in his grill?? They’re bonded dragonriders they’ve got their bestie, he doesn’t. Shouldn’t he have lit them up for that?? What makes them so special?? He’s barbecuing Targaryen bastards left and right but these two get a pass?? Why??

And now for some general overall complaints🫶🏼

1. Fix your pacing I’m begging you. They could have made 8 episodes work if they had let us move through the plots faster but instead there’s so much dead air. After Jaehaerys was killed we should’ve been FLYING through plot points. Two child murders are enough to declare a war started, but we still hadn’t seen any battle until episode 4 and then it stalled out again. Harrenhal doesn’t need this much screentime. You don’t need to hint at Rhaena claiming Sheepstealer for 3+ episodes. We don’t need to hum and ha about going to war for 4 episodes. There should be fewer long shots of the actors faces simply reacting and more SPEAKING. More PLOT. MORE OF ANYTHING TO MOVE THE STORY FORWARD

2. Stop repeating information. Characters constantly beat you over the head with the same information over and over again. One character will tell a person something then a second character tells that same person almost the exact same thing an episode later it’s like no one proofread the script.

3. Why are you having your actors use giant words in order to sound more period accurate?? You don’t need to repeat lickspittle every five seconds. You don’t need to use gainsay or comportment. I promise your audience knows it’s a medieval setting, put the thesaurus down you sound like an idiot

4. It’s almost totally inaccessible for non book readers. I watch with my mom and sister, neither of whom have done any research about ASOIAF but have seen GOT, and I’m constantly explaining shit to them. The showrunners rely too much on people having read them that they don’t explain anything. I know Helaena has a dragon, but they don’t because NO ONE HAS MENTIONED IT BEFORE!! BY THE SECOND SEASON!!

5. This is just a me thing but I would’ve LOVED more regional costuming. We got a hint of it with Sabitha Frey wearing a headpiece when treating with Jace and I love the idea of each region having their own specific fashion trends. The costumes are fine, some are even great, but most are lacklustre and feel too fantasy to me. I’m a history girly I want to see more hoods and headpieces and different shapes in the dresses etc etc.

Despite all this there are still some great scenes!! Aspects of this season were awesome and I think the first two episodes in particular were really strong, there is just so much lost potential this season and it has been really disappointing. I’m still gonna be sat for the finale this week but I hope that they really up their game in season three

[noodles-doodles01]

I know I used to defend this, and I blame it on the fact that the writers banked on season 2 taking 2 years to make and I just FORGOT a lot of s1 points.

Aemond betraying Aegon is stupid. And that being the turning point for him to becoming a villain is even more stupid.

S1 shows he defends his family above all, despite his anger towards Aegon. And that works with how book!Daemon acts (since they are supposed to be warped reflections of one another).

Now I haven’t read FnB in a while, so correct me if this deviates from the book too much:

Aemond uses how he perceives Daemon as a way to cover up his guilt, and this guilt drives him toward becoming more violent as the series progresses.

I always thought Aemond’s guilt would be his driving motivation this season. A scene with his admission to murdering Luke and acting that it was on purpose, having to deal with the closest person in his family almost dropping him for an enemy (Alicent raised him this way, but she’s still a religious woman, and knows this has them nosediving into war). I didn’t hate the brothel scenes since Aemond does struggle with relations in general and does add to his character on that front (it would also give a decent parallel, seeing that Daemon used brothels as a station for power, whilst Aemond seeks comfort from the same place).

Blood and Cheese would be the point where Aemond starts to lose it. He fully blames himself for the death of Jahaerys, being the one who killed Luke and the one who was the initial target (ideally that’s just what he thinks). He begins to hold this heavy burden of having to carry his family’s well being on his own being the rider of Vhagar, and it starts to chip at him.

He becomes more irritable, and starts plotting for war in his spare time. This gets taken as him doing things behind the king’s back, and it doesn’t help that Aemond getting pissed over Aegons pettiness proves that point further. But he DOESNT betray him, the anger and frustration is simply from his overwhelming fear that his stupidity will eradicate his family. This would be so interesting since Aemond is closest with Alicent, giving them decent parallels in which they begin to realize their ambition came at a cost (and I’m talking book Alicent here not the schmuck that Condal wrote).

Then Rook’s Rest. In FnB the way that it’s written him betraying Aegon and it being a stupid tactical mistake are both viable reasons (he dove Vhagar down atop Meleys and Sunfyre) and I’m ok with both, but it being a stupid mistake where Aemond is overconfident serves this concept more. Again he acts as though it’s nothing.

Now this guilt journey doesn’t erase other aspects of his character: Aemond still believes he’s better fit to be king, he believes he is superior to team black, and that translates still, there should never be any doubt in those points. The guilt should come from the fear that he may not be able to protect his family, with Alicents words gnawing at him. So he never removes the conquerors crown bc it gives a sense of comfort, he is king, he holds all power. He never betrays his family, because despite everything they are better off than the league of Bastards.

But the key difference between him and Daemon, is that Daemon is experienced. He knows how to bait the younger version of himself, and that’s what gives him the upper hand.

When Aemond goes to Harrenhall and realizes he’s been tricked, he burns at the river lands. It’s a terrible reaction to the guilt he feels and that’s where the villainy comes from: he finds comfort in this false sense of tyranny when he’s overwhelmed.

Now imagine the amount of fun Alys has when she realizes this bundle of guilt waddled into her playground. The girl will give him visions for weeks depicting all the wrongs he’s done and ramping up what he’s been feeling, telling him the only way to get past this is to destroy Daemon (I HC that Alys just wants to get rid of both of them). She also uses the fact that he’s alone to manipulate him further, and he believes that she loves him and cares for him.

It makes his character more interesting and more consistent with what we’ve seen in s1, and it gives a nuance that wouldn’t be recorded in FnB.

And best of all:

EWAN MITCHELL WOULD KILL IT

[srim01997]

Second Chance | Aemond T. x OFC

Paring:  Aemond “One-Eye” Targaryen x Viseara Targaryen (OC), Implied Aegon II Targaryen x Celtigar! OFC

Fandom: House of The Dragon (HBO)

Warning: Slight Angst, Character Death, Blood and Violence, Criston Cole being shit, Temporary Character Death

Writer’s note: I know everyone waiting for this and four chapter left ;)

Please ilke, comment and reblog!!

Previous Chapter | Second Chance masterlist | Next Chapter

Chapter 13 Tell that bastard that the b*tch is back.

Aemond had once longed to visit Dragonstone, enchanted by the stories Viseara had told him since childhood. Tales of the ancestral castle of House Targaryen—the place where their forebears fled the Doom of Valyria guided by the visions of DaAenys the Dreamer. The site where Aegon the Conqueror laid his plans to unite the Seven Kingdoms.

It was a small mercy that the one-eyed prince was assigned a room far better than Ser Criston Cole, who languished in the dungeons beneath Dragonstone. Cole's agonized cries echoed faintly through the stone walls. Aemond's chamber, while improved, remained sparse. It featured a narrow window that allowed in just enough light, but was too small for a man of his size to escape through—a sign that the Black Council still did not fully trust him, even after he had delivered the culprit responsible for Viseara’s death.

No matter how hard he tried to sleep, images of the rogue princess's demise haunted his dreams. He ground his teeth, his remaining eye burning as tears slipped unbidden down his cheek—he was crying.

Aemond could not fathom what divine punishment he was enduring, nor why he was tormented so thoroughly by these events, as if the gods themselves sought to brand his actions into his soul. He acknowledged Lucerys Velaryon’s death as an accident—a scar of his inability to control his dragon—but Viseara Targaryen’s death was something else entirely. It had stripped him of the last anchor tethering his mind.

He had razed everything to ashes with Vhagar’s fire like a madman, annihilating House Strong—men, women, and children alike. He had even taken Alys Rivers, a bastard of House Strong, as his lover, deluding himself into seeing his aunt in her whenever they lay together. Alys had eventually borne his child.

While fleeing from Daemon’s relentless pursuit, Alys revealed a series of visions—prophecies of Aegon the Conqueror, the future downfall of House Targaryen, leaving only one heir two centuries later in an era without dragons, and Aemond’s own death.

His life as a kinslayer came to an end above the God’s Eye, just as the witch of Harrenhal had foretold. Aemond faced the rogue prince, who unseated himself from Caraxes’ saddle to personally deliver the killing blow with Dark Sister, seizing the Valyrian steel dagger Aemond carried at his side.

“For every life you’ve taken, one-eyed bastard!”

Aemond offered no response as his eyepatch was ripped away and the blade plunged through his skull. Both dragons and their riders plummeted into the lake, dyeing the waters crimson with blood. Embracing death, Aemond accepted his defeat. His final thought was a desperate wish to undo the past before everything had spiraled into ruin.

When he next opened his eye, he found himself with a bandage across his forehead and his body feverish, as though consumed by twin fires. A delicate hand rested on his brow.

“Go fetch the maester to examine him,” said a sweet, familiar voice—his aunt’s voice. Aemond tried to move, only to discover his hands were far too small to grasp hers.

He had returned to his childhood.

Perhaps the Old Gods or the Seven had taken pity on him, granting him a second chance as a boy. This time, Aemond resolved to stay close to his aunt and find a way to pull her from the war.

He burned with rage when Ser Criston struck her for speaking truths he couldn't bear to hear, and again when brutes at a brothel scarred her lovely face. But he was too young to act. Many events unfolded as they had before, yet something about Viserys troubled him.

She knew too much. She was aware that he had bonded with Vhagar at the age of ten. She orchestrated Aegon’s marriage to Elia Celtigar instead of Helaena. She even saved his nephew at Storm’s End, though it cost her her life in the process.

Piece by piece, he began to realize the truth: Viseara, like him, had been sent back in time to correct the wrongs of the past.

Aemond felt selfish for focusing solely on saving his aunt while she worked tirelessly to protect their entire family. This time, he vowed to repay her sacrifices by joining Rhaenyra’s cause and securing her throne.

He woke up at dawn, his face damp with sweat. The lively chatter from the beach caught his ears—the voices of his nephew and older cousins training with swords. The tall figure rose to shower in the bathing chamber and dressed in the proper black-and-red attire of House Targaryen, not the green-and-gold.

He made his way to the dining table, where only his half-sister's family sat. Given the circumstances and recent loss of their general, Visera, it was undeniably uncomfortable.

Daemon was absent, but the Black Queen spoke in her usual calm tone, as if reading his thoughts. “Daemon is preoccupied in the dungeons. He’ll join us soon.”

They now knew why that knight had been screaming.

Through his good eye, he noticed Maeria walking in with a beaming smile on her face. She was clad in dragonriding gear, which he had just realized.

“I’ve bonded with Silverwing, Your Grace,” she declared. “I’ve flown her around Dragonstone. She stands ready to support you in this war.”

So this time, His aunt persuaded her children to bond with dragons instead of those two bastards, Aemond thought, continuing his meal. Moments later, the rogue prince himself entered the room.

“Ser Criston Cole confessed,” Daemon announced as he took the seat beside the Black Queen. “Lady Elia has been imprisoned separately from her children, but she’s still alive. That leech of an old man must have some plan for my niece.”

“I should head to Harrenhal to rally forces from the Riverlands if we’re to win this war on land,” Daemon continued.

“Dragons alone should suffice, shouldn’t they, Uncle?” Aemond interjected. “We have enough of them.”

“Yes, but they have Scorpion bolts, not to mention the Triarchy and that old green leech who will stop at nothing to win this war,” Daemon countered.

“And what will you do about the man who killed my mother?” Aenys spoke up, his face dark with anger. Despite being named after the weak King AAenys I, this cousin of Aemond had a temperament more akin to Daemon’s. “I want justice for my mother.”

“You’ll have it, but after you’ve all finished eating. And the women should probably avoid seeing this,” Daemon remarked. “Trust me, it’s for the best.”

At first, Aemond didn’t understand what was happening. However, as he and the Black Queen's male kin approached the dragon pit, he saw a battered and unrecognizable figure being dragged there. Daemon stepped forward and crouched beside the disheveled form of Ser Criston Cole, the once-proud Lord Commander of the Kings guard.

“Don’t expect a quick death, Ser Criston,” Daemon sneered. “You’ll die in agony, and don’t bother pleading for mercy from her children. They have none for the man who killed their mother.”

Cole’s bloodied eyes looked pleadingly at Aemond, as if hoping for some shred of compassion from the prince he had once trained. All he received, however, was a cold, disdainful gaze.

Aemond leaned down, his voice low and cutting. “Ser Criston Cole… answer me this. The night my father died; did you lay with my mother?”

When Cole refused to answer, Aemond realized the truth. The night before, he had been sent back in time to the evening of Jaehaerys's murder. Ser Criston had not been guarding Helaena and her children; instead, he had been in bed with Aemond's mother. This left them vulnerable to the bloody events that ensued.

“You are an oathbreaker and a knight without honor, Ser Criston Cole,” Aemond declared, his voice icy. “No songs will speak of you with pride. History will forget you.”

“I did nothing wrong by killing that whore of the Red Keep. She was leading you astray,” Cole spat back.

Aemond’s fist collided with his face. “She was pregnant! You killed my child!”

The prince raised his fist again, but Jacaerys held him back, dragging him away as Cole shouted after him.

“Kill me, Aemond! Do it!”

“You deserved a painful death, Ser Criston Cole,” Aemond muttered in High Valyrian as Jace and Luke hauled him away.

Daemon, meanwhile, drew his blade, Dark Sister, and stepped closer to Cole.

“Go on, cut off my head like you would an enemy’s,” Cole taunted.

Daemon smirked and shook his head. "That would be too merciful. The hatchling dragons are quite hungry these days. Before the keepers bring them their food, they might just turn on one another."

With a swift motion, Daemon sliced through both of Criston’s ankles, severing his tendons. The knight screamed in agony as he collapsed to the ground.

The rogue prince grabbed the collar of the fallen knight’s tunic and dragged him to the hatchling pen. As he walked away, the sounds of Criston’s cries turned into blood-curdling screams as the young dragons pounced, clawing, biting, and burning him alive.

Maeria watched from above, her expression cold. Daemon tried to pull his niece away, shielding her from the gruesome scene.

“You shouldn’t see this, little one,” he said.

“I just wanted to make sure he suffered as you promised me and Aenys,” Maeria replied, her violet-blue eyes fixed on the bloody chaos below. Satisfied, she turned away. “I’m pleased now. I’ll return to training my dragon.”

Daemon nodded but clenched his fists, punching the stone wall in frustration as memories of his twin sister haunted him. He had lost her—the only person who could help him remember his mother’s face. And now, he had lost that too.

Viseara gasped for air as she opened her eyes, as if she had been deprived of breath for a moment. Her heterochromatic eyes scanned the unfamiliar surroundings. The last memory she had before succumbing (temporarily?) was being struck down by Criston Cole. She wasn’t sure if Aemond had a hand in it, but for now, she needed to focus on where she had awoken.

Dressed in a white gown adorned with unfamiliar patterns, Viseara noted the strange atmosphere of the room—it was unlike anything she had known. This wasn’t Storm’s End anymore. Barefoot, she stepped onto the cold floor and moved toward the balcony. As she looked out, she realized she was in the ruins of Old Valyria.

(If this had been the reign of Jaehaerys, her head would have likely already been removed.)

Her mismatched eyes searched for her dragon, and soon she spotted it slumbering peacefully. Nyx stirred upon sensing its rider awake and rose into the sky, soaring to meet her at the balcony. The grey-and-blue dragon gently nudged her cheek with its snout, causing Viseara to laugh softly. She stroked its head affectionately before turning abruptly as she noticed someone standing behind her.

"You may be confused, but some things happen for a reason," the stranger began.

"How did I come back from the dead?" she demanded.

"The God of Light returned your soul," the priest replied calmly. "And your child remains safe. You need not worry."

Tears of relief streamed down Viseara's face as her hands instinctively rested on her abdomen. She whispered repeated apologies to her unborn child for nearly costing them both their lives.

"You should rest for a few days before journeying to Harrenhal," the priest advised.

"Harrenhal?" Viseara frowned at the suggestion. She had no desire to linger while war raged on. "I must return to Dragonstone—"

"There are answers you seek that can be found there," the priest interrupted. "I will arrange a temporary room for you to rest."

Reluctantly, she nodded and followed the stranger to her assigned quarters. The atmosphere of the ancient Valyrian ruins felt heavy and unfamiliar, completely different from any place she had ever stayed. Despite her exhaustion, she found it difficult to sleep, her mind troubled by the pained expression on Aemond's face.

Eventually, her body gave in, and she drifted into an uneasy slumber, aware that she needed her strength for the journey to Harrenhal. If she hoped to seize the stronghold before the Greens—or even her own brother—she would need to rally the Riverlands' forces.

A few days later, Viseara mounted Nyx, her black-and-blue dragon, and prepared to leave. She expressed her gratitude to the priest before taking to the skies, steering her dragon toward Harrenhal with determination to arrive ahead of the Greens.

Upon reaching Harrenhal, she found no signs of the Greens' forces. She directed Nyx to land in front of the dilapidated fortress, where soldiers scrambled to report her arrival to Ser Simon Strong. As she slid down from her dragon’s back, Viseara used its wings as a makeshift staircase, descending gracefully to the ground.

"Ser Simon Strong," she called out. "Summon the lords of the Riverlands here. I need their help—no, I need their armies." Her voice hardened. "And make sure the Greens know: the bitch had returned."

TBC.

[aegor-bamfsteel]

from what I remember. quick summary

In the battle of the mill we see 2 boys (OC of the series) with each one their group of people, Aeron Bracken shows off his sword with his friends, then Davos Blackwood comes to complain about the issue of the limits and accuses him of moving the stones of this one. They try to intimidate Davos telling him that he is the false king that his house supports, Aeron says that his side is a baby killer (because of Jaehaerys and his public funeral accusing Rhaenyra that Otto did) so they are going to face each other and both die (fight off camera)

So far so good. but the council comments that the Bracken attacked the Blackwoods (?

Then Daemon goes to Harrenhal and among the people who meet is Willian (the Blackwood child from the first season) who says he is loyal to Rhaenyra and asks for the land that the Bracken took from him

when Daemon goes to threaten the Bracken with his dragon and William (on a random hill) tells him to change sides or they will face the dragon and Amos Bracken says: we choose fire, turning around on horseback with the others while Caraxes prepares to attack (in a great shot I must say) and then Daemon defeated saying admiring that they did not let themselves be intimidated by a dragon and when William tells him to finish them off for that, Daemon says that men like that (like the Bracken) he needs in his army, and tells William that there are other ways to convince him, an implicit suggestion

Then in Harrenhal Daemon receives the news that Bracken have surrendered but because the Blackwoods attacked their lands, looting their food, septs, abusing women and killing children, which makes the houses of the rivers go to claim him horrified by what William is doing under a flag of Rhaenyra and that they are not going to do led by a tyrant

Then in the last chapter Oscar who is already lord of the trident after the death of his grandfather (they removed Kermit and killed Elmo) tells him that they will honor their oath no matter how unpleasant their leader is (Daemon) but that a damage and an affront to the land of the rivers must be repaired, William says that the Bracken have already surrendered and that is their purpose, but Oscar manipulating makes Daemon behead William for his crimes or he does not give him the army of the rivers

…That’s it?

From the way fandom talked about it, you’d think they had the Brackens, provoked by the Blackwoods (including their lord and his sister Alysanne, since they were in the raiding party Amos chased before getting surprised at the Burning Mill) defeat the Blackwoods in honorable combat (which incidentally happened in the book twice between Amos Bracken and Samwell Blackwood, both of whom are pretty unrecognizable here) and only surrendered because Daemon forced their hand by threatening the lives of their kids. I heard that the writers were supposed to be biased against the Brackens, instead of the Blackwoods committing war-crimes (also in the book) just…being acknowledged as terrible in-universe and apparently facing consequences for it?

From what you’ve written, the Brackens only “”look”” better because of what they didn’t include:

No Brackens being victim to the most obvious chevauchée ploy ever. It’s completely ridiculous in F&B that Amos Bracken would’ve taken too many men to chase away a raiding party so his own castle (and he couldn’t rely on the other Greens for support) got invaded and taken over by the time he (or rather his brother Raylon Rivers) got back. I’m not great at military tactics, but even I know GRRM made the Brackens get plot induced stupidity to make the Blackwoods look better

No Aly Sue Blackwood allegedly killing Amos Bracken with a magic arrow to the eye slit in his helmet after Amos killed her war criminal brother in single combat. Amos gets to live (and he’s not a bad dude, but the pettiness isn’t book canon at all) so at least no glorification of Blackwoods there.

No Daemon storming Stone Hedge and taking the Brackens hostage means we don’t hear about how his “third wife and baseborn paramour” were also captured, which is a cheap ripoff of Jonos Bracken in ADWD and an unnecessary detail to show how “eevil misogynists” the Bracken men are. No Raylon Rivers also contributes, as his existence implies Humfrey Bracken was siring illegitimate children decades back

No Daemon taking Brackens hostage also means the Brackens surrendered so as to not see their smallfolk come to further harm from the Blackwoods, rather than Raylon Rivers kneeling to not see the rest of his family (RIP Amos) get slaughtered. At least someone cares about civilian casualties Hess insists “don’t count”. But it also makes Daemon look better by not having him openly threaten innocent women and children

The only thing I liked that they added (other than the Blackwoods committing war crimes on Bracken lands actually acknowledged and had consequences) was the Brackens actually have a reason to support Aegon II other than “well the Blackwoods went for Rhaenyra and we don’t like them”: they think Rhaenyra had something to do with Jaehaerys’ murder (which…she did, considering Daemon had men paid to kill a “son for a son”) and are disgusted

But then the Blackwoods end up looking better because:

Apparently in the show the Brackens started the fight? Because the Blackwoods accuse them of moving rocks? When in the book it’s the Blackwoods who draw first blood when: “In the riverlands, raiders out of Raventree, flying Rhaenyra's banners, crossed into the lands of House Bracken, burning crops, driving off sheep and cattle, sacking villages, and despoiling every sept they came on (the Blackwoods were one of the last houses south of the Neck who still followed the old gods).” which, as I’ve said many times before, are war crimes even in universe. The Brackens only fought back after the fact, as was their right. This is another example of the show inventing petty actions for the Greens so the Blacks look more justified

Daemon seems (it’s implied) like he gives Willem the idea to abuse Bracken smallfolk in order to get the Brackens to surrender, rather than the Blackwoods coming up with the idea themselves because they hate the Brackens and those who live on their lands. This again undermines how awful the Blackwoods were, because the chevauchee wasn’t to force a surrender, it was to punish the Brackens so they could draw them out to kill them and give Daemon enough time to take Stone Hedge by force. Once again, Daemon’s cruelty (just like with Blood and Cheese, and his reaction to Baelon’s death) is left unsaid and his participation in the coordinated attack on Stone Hedge seems to be negligible

The Bracken men are weak fighters in the show. Amos Bracken beat Samwell Blackwood twice in the book, once over a duel for Rhaenyra and the other during the Burning Mill battle. In Season 1, Willam fights Jerrell (ofc Jerrell provokes him 🙄 ) and stabs him to death nonsensically (sure a dude with a knife is going to win against a dude with a sword. Wth); in Season 2, Davos fights Aeron (again apparently the Brackens are the aggressors) and they kill each other. Blackwoods win or draw in duels in the show, Brackens sweep in the book. This is contradictory for the show because wouldn’t the better fighters be the ones to attack? But you can’t have that, because the Blackwoods need to be the wronged party and only escalate because the Brackens are stubborn

Basically, the changes the show made to the Bracken/Blackwood conflict aren’t “Bracken bias”, but more of a mixed bag that makes both families look better or worse, because the show doesn’t really care about them; they care about Daemon Targaryen (who in the book only shows up at the end of the conflict) and how he acts and reacts to his Blackwood Allies and Bracken opponents. Amos’ refusal to surrender to Daemon (never happened in the book; his half brother Raylon agreed to surrender after Daemon threatened to hurt his family) wasn’t about the Brackens being brave but how Daemon would respond to an outnumbered enemy who would rather be burned alive with his men (I hope he asked them if they agreed beforehand) than surrender to him. Him admiring their bravery and saying they were worthy soldiers is more about softening his character, since in the books neither he nor the other Targs care about the Brackens (although the Brackens later fight the Green army led by Borros Baratheon, so maybe this is show foreshadowing for why). As this is Daemon, his reaction is to do something underhanded by insinuating Willem commit atrocities against Bracken smallfolk (although clearly he was eager to do it and wasn’t sorry at all) to force their hand…but then consequences come for him…or at least Willem, who he’s forced to execute because the Riverlords are disgusted by the atrocities done under Rhaenyra’s banner. But as stated, this conflict is made about Daemon, so Willem’s death is pretty inconsequential, and it’s just another crime to taunt him about in Harrenhal I guess, as well as to make the Blacks look better (war crimes are not sanctioned and we execute the perpetrators I promise!). I did find Daemon apparently coming to admire the enemy Brackens while having to punish the Blackwood Allies an amusing inversion of Jaime’s interactions with them in ADWD, though.

tl;dr I still don’t have nearly enough time to watch this show due to a personal emergency. It sounds like the show acknowledged that the Blackwoods committed atrocities against people on Bracken lands, and had one Blackwood be executed for it; however, I believe that’s more to make the Blacks look better than to denigrate the Blackwoods, who initially are made out to be the “wronged party” and superior fighters against the Brackens anyway. What happened doesn’t seem to be “Bracken bias”, but to highlight contradictions in Daemon’s character at admiring an enemy’s courage but also being willing to sign off on unjust violence to bring them down (I guess there’s that “blend of light and dark” the Rogue Prince keeps blathering about, even though no such lightness was seen in the book).

You’ve made it to the end; Horse House appreciates your patience.

[purpleheartskies]

Robby is the protagonist

... in terms of the role a protagonist plays in a story

Also titled: Robby is the underdog - Part 3

Other posts in this series:

Robby is the underdog - Part 1

Robby is the underdog - Part 1.5

Robby has a Hero's Journey (Robby is the underdog - Part 2)

Robby is the underdog- Part 4

The Road Back in Robby's Hero's Journey (Robby is the underdog - part 5)

Robby is the underdog - Part 6

Robby is the underdog - Part 7

Robby's Hero's Journey - The Character Archetypes (Robby is the underdog - Part 8)

Robby's mental health in part 2 (Robby is the underdog - Part 9)

Putting Johnny and Daniel aside for now, I'm going to first focus on Robby as the protagonist amongst the younger generation. Then, I'll go into Robby's importance in Johnny's and Daniel's stories, followed by Robby's importance and role in the dojo war. I'll be making comparisons between Robby and Miguel, specifically.

Protagonist vs main pov character

The protagonist of a story isn't always the main pov character, or may not be a pov character at all. By definition, a protagonist has a specific role in the story compared to a pov character. It's not often that the protagonist and main pov character are separate characters in a story, but there are stories like this. Popular examples include Sherlock Holmes, The Great Gatsby, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, and To Kill a Mockingbird.

There are different reasons writers may do this:

One reason may be because the perspective of the protagonist isn't as easy to understand and relate to. The Cobra Kai writers have said that Johnny and Miguel are archetypal characters that fans can relate to.

Another reason is to allow for observation, and moreover, to disguise the motivations and intentions of the protagonist. The role of any pov character is to provide the view into the story. They are the audience surrogate. By keeping the protagonist's pov hidden, writers can provide an air of mystery to them, until the writers want the protagonist's view to be known. They can do this either by shifting to the protagonist's pov or by having the pov character(s) learn the protagonist's pov. Interestingly, the CK writers have said that the story is from the bully's perspective. Johnny and Miguel are two of the main pov characters. Miguel has provided the perspective of his and Robby's rivarly so far.

The third reason may be to create irony and juxtaposition. This is in the case that the pov character and the protagonist have opposing characteristics, some that aren't always explicitly portrayed. Although Miguel seemed to be the "good kid" and Robby the "bad kid" at the start of the series, their true characters are weaved into the story. For example, throughout the series, Miguel is entitled, lacks empathy, and doesn't take accountability, whereas Robby exhibits humility, is empathetic, and takes accountability.

The irony can be stretched to outright unreliability. The pov characters' views of the protagonist may be entirely wrong. This is definitely the case for Robby. The story is being told mainly through Miguel's and Johnny's povs, and they are "unreliable narrators". Their povs and the povs that other characters have of Robby are skewed because of how they perceive themselves and how they perceive Robby.

Ali: "You both think there's only one side to the story." Johnny: "I know. There's two." Ali: "No, there's three. There's your side and your side, and then there is the truth."

The purpose of dramatic irony is to present a juxtaposition between what is presented on the surface of a story and what is really occurring under the surface. Doing this adds layers of meaning to the story, offers deeper insights into the thematic principles, and shows the audience something that the characters themselves are missing. In Cobra Kai, these additional layers in the story are present throughout. For example, the contrast in Johnny's behavior with each boy is presented with this juxtaposition in all 5 seasons. Some examples of juxtaposition in s5 include the scene where Johnny calls out Daniel for reeking of booze and then hands him a beer, which Daniel thanks him for later. In this same scene, Johnny claims to have gotten Robby out of Cobra Kai, which is far from the truth. Daniel also said that Johnny cares for both boys, which doesn't match what's portrayed in all 5 seasons. After the apartment fight, Miguel told Robby that he learned karate to find balance and not hurt people, which isn't true. He learned Cobra Kai first, which doesn't involve finding balance. He's also used his karate to hurt Robby multiple times, including choosing the apartment fight so that he could hurt Robby again as he's always felt justified to. Afterwards, Johnny said that the boys beat each other into submission. Also not true. Submission means that one party becomes compliant to the other, and the audience was shown that Robby submit to Miguel. The list goes on. All of this is intentional as it's meant to show the audience that, for example, Johnny hasn't changed---he just believes that he has and tries to present to others that he has---, and that Miguel is the bully and not the underdog character between him and Robby.

If the role of the pov character is to provide the view into the story, what is the role of the protagonist?

The protagonist in a story is the character who offers the most conflict in situations, has the longest emotional journey, and has a primal goal to root for. Their transformation shapes the story's theme. Their choices and motivations affect the direction of the story. They're at the center of the conflict and their decisions push the plot forward. In a story with multiple characters with journeys, there is ultimately one character who is the primary driver of the overall story and their story tells the theme of the overall story. The other characters' can be protagonists in their own journeys but these become subplots of varying levels of importance. The protagonist is the character whose fate matters most. They have the highest stakes and the greatest obstacles.

Compared to Miguel, Robby has all the characteristics of a protagonist.

What makes Robby the protagonist of the overall story?

Robby has a Hero's Journey that is related to the story's theme of "finding balance".

Robby has a "want", "need", and "internal struggle" that drive his Hero's Journey. The "internal struggle" is usually tied to the "need". Miguel has "wants" and he probably has a "need", but he doesn't have an "internal struggle" related to that "need". In fact, he doesn't have much of an overarching emotional journey throughout the series. His injury arc and the Mexico arc for example could have been used to give his story more emotional depth, but they weren't used for this. In fact, those two arcs were used to emphasize that Johnny is willing to sacrifice his relationship with Robby and sacrifice Robby himself to maintain his relationship with Miguel, which in turn resulted in more trauma for Robby and made both his "want" and his "need" harder to achieve. That is, those two arcs served Robby's overarching journey more than they served Miguel's. Along with Miguel's lack of relevance to the overall plot (the dojo war), Miguel's lack of an overarching emotional journey is becoming more and more apparent each season. Miguel overall is a static character. For example, in the school fight, he did "strike first, strike hard, show mercy sometimes". In the apartment fight, he did the same thing, despite his injury and learning some Miyagi-Do. In contrast, Robby is a dynamic character who is constantly growing, positively and negatively, throughout his journey.

Robby's character introduction / Ordinary World for his Hero's Journey was his scenes in s1e4 to s1e5, up to the Inciting Incident. In turn, Miguel has no character introduction that fits the "Ordinary World" stage of a Hero's Journey. His first scenes are introducing himself to Johnny, being saved by Johnny while being bullied, asking Johnny to open a dojo for him, and Johnny eventually telling him that he'll be his sensei. All of those scenes are about the role he'll play in Johnny's character story. His scenes in the next few episodes continue to build on the plot and his role in Sam's story, while not building on his character or his Ordinary World.

Each season, many of Robby's decisions play a crucial role in the story. Moreover, he has a very character-driven story, where his decisions and actions as he reacts (mostly trauma responses) drives his own story, but greatly affects the plot and other characters' journeys as well. In general, Robby's character provides the most uncertainty in the story. For example, Robby showed up unexpectedly at the s1 avt, and Johnny's students using "no mercy" on Robby, specifically, changed Johnny's view on "no mercy" and prompted Daniel to reopen Miyagi-Do. Also, Robby's actions at the end of the school fight impacted all of the characters' stories moving forward. At the end of s3, the most resounding shifts in alliances occured because Robby chose to stay with Kreese at Cobra Kai and Johnny allied himself with Daniel. Even Hawk changing sides was most greatly influenced by Robby's change in alliance. In fact, Robby has played an important role in Hawk's journey despite them barely interacting throughout the series. In s4 and s5, Robby continued to make decisions that impacted the other characters, such as officially joining Cobra Kai and teaching them Miyagi-Do in s4 and deciding to stay and help Johnny find Miguel after Johnny ditched Robby at the bus stop in s5.

Robby's had independent arcs and is the only teen with side characters meant for him only and whose involvements served purposes in his arcs. In s1, he was dealing with his partners-in-crime and bullies, Trey and Cruz. In s2, he was dealing with Shannon abandoning him. In s3, he had his juvie arc with Shawn. In s4, he mentored Kenny. In fact, Kenny's introduction and character journey were created as an extension from Robby's character journey, which hasn't been done for any other kid. Robby continues to play an important role in Kenny's journey.

Robby is distinctly given the same importance as the senseis. He mentored a student, taught an entire dojo a style of karate, and was the "next one to land on their arms" when Silver and Kim were talking about Daniel, Johnny, and Chozen being pests. Robby is the only kid to fight alongside a sensei (Johnny). Robby is also the "mentor" trying to resolve the rivalry between Kenny and Anthony.

Robby is being built up as a leader / central figure for the kids. In s5, Robby was shown in a front & center position for both dojos in s5.

Robby is the only character to be in one of the conflicts in every mid-season episode and finale since s1e10:

s1e10 - avt final match

s2e5 - mall fight

s2e10 - school fight

s3e5 - juvie fight

s3e10 - dojo fight with Kreese and Johnny

s4e5 - Cobras shaving Hawk's mohawk

s4e10 - avt final match

s5e5 - apartment fight

s5e10 - dojo brawl

Robby is the most connected overall to all the other characters. For example, in s5, Robby directly influenced or interacted with the following characters: Johnny, Daniel, Miguel, Tory, Kenny, Carmen, Sam, Hawk, Demetri, Anthony, Chozen, and Silver. Robby was mentioned in important scenes by Shannon and even Kim when he wasn't present.

Robby's portrayed to have deeper connections with Sam and Tory than Miguel has with them. While Robby was in Miyagi-Do, he had the "love story" with Sam, the main girl in Miyagi-Do. While Robby was in Cobra Kai, he had the "love story" with Tory, the main girl in Cobra Kai. Robby's relationships with each of them were developed slowly as friendships first. In turn, Miguel started dating each girl soon after the first time he talked to them. Robby had the "meet cute" with Sam, while Miguel just stared at her from afar because she was with another guy. Robby got the prom entrance and main dance, despite not being a student in school, while Miguel watched Robby steal the show. Robby has fought successfully alongside each girl: Sam in the s2 mall fight and Tory in the s4 prom fight. Despite being broken up and in other relationships, Robby and Sam still have a deep connection, like Robby appearing in Sam's dream and them still being able to do the wheel technique in s5. In turn, Miguel and Tory have shared just one "moment" (during the prom fight) together since their break up.

Between Robby and Miguel, Robby has the traits of a traditional hero, rejects the toxic empowerment of Cobra Kai philosophies, and is the best example of positive/healthy masculinity in the story. Rocky is referenced a lot throughout the story as someone Johnny looks up to. Rocky is a popular protagonist, underdog character, and example of positive/healthy masculinity in film.

Throughout s5, the narrative did an interesting recap of Robby's journey. References to or redos of moments from Robby's character journey from s1 to s4 were sprinkled throughout the entire season. (This is yet another post or series of posts I can make.) This makes sense because Robby is the protagonist, and s5 was priming the audience for Act 3.

Although the story started with Miguel as seemingly the protagonist, Robby's role as the actual protagonist becomes more apparent at the end of s1e5 and more so as the series has gone on, making Miguel a "false/decoy protagonist". In s1e5, Robby's story picked up with the Inciting Incident in his Hero's Journey.

Miguel hasn't been an underdog since he beat his bullies in s1e5. Even after his injury, Miguel has resumed his position as one of the top fighters, if not the top fighter. Robby wins important fights, but by the end of s5, he has lost two avts and lost to his bully/rival. Robby started out the series with the most odds against him. Going into the final season, he still has the most odds against him and is even worse off than at the start of his journey. He faces the greatest obstacles and has the most uncertainty and stakes for his future. The Karate Kid story is about the underdog winning in the end against all the odds that are against him/her. Robby has the greatest odd against him, making Robby the underdog in the story.

Robby's importance in Johnny's and Daniel's stories

Robby has always played an important role in Johnny and Daniel's rivalry. In s1 and s2, Robby was the link between Johnny and Daniel. He was a reason for contention between them in a lot of their scenes in s1e9/10, s2e1, s2e5 (Johnny found out that Robby was living with Daniel), and s2e10. In s2e10, Robby suggested that Johnny and Daniel can learn from each other. In s3e2, Daniel and Johnny teamed up to look for Robby. In s3e8, they both came to juvie to pick up Robby and argued. In s4e1, Sam approached Robby believing that he was needed to unite Johnny and Daniel. This was despite Robby choosing to stand against them and with Kreese the last time they saw each other. Sam even went behind Miguel's back to do this. In s4e5, Robby and the Cobras shaving Hawk's head led to Johnny and Daniel's already weakened alliance falling apart because they disagreed on how to handle the situation. In s4e10, Robby teaching the Cobras Miyagi-Do led to Daniel teaming up with Johnny to coach Sam in her match. Even though Robby wasn't physically present with Johnny and Daniel, he played a critical role in affecting their alliance in s4. In turn, Miguel was clearly used as a plot device in Johnny's rivalry with Daniel in s4. Miguel has no significance in Daniel's story otherwise. Meanwhile, Robby has deep connections with both Johnny and Daniel since s1.

Amongst the kids, Robby narratively plays the most important role in Johnny and Daniel's stories.

In the opening shots of Johnny's story and the series, Robby's picture is shown on Johnny's fridge setting up Robby's significance to Johnny almost immediately. Johnny's relationship with Robby is the first relationship introduced for Johnny's character in this series. They have very few scenes together other than the Mexico arc in s5, but their relationship overshadows Johnny's character journey. The goal of Johnny's redemption as a character is his "need" to fight his inner demons and make amends with Robby.

"I love you too Robby"

Subtle similarities are shown between Johnny and Robby throughout the series using various shots or actions. For example, Robby and young Johnny put their headphones on to block out their parents, the way Robby is dejectedly sitting and eating a sandwich in s3e2 is exactly the way Johnny is dejectedly sitting and eating a sandwich in s2e5, the shot of Robby going to Kreese at the end of s3e8 is framed similarly to the shot of Johnny stopping Kreese at the end of s2e1, Robby's fight with Kenny in s5e10 is similar to Johnny's fight with Robby in s3e10, and Robby's most used move is sweeping the leg (Johnny's iconic move from kk1) though Robby is never shown learning that move.

Johnny and Miguel's popular and seemingly generic sensei-student story has always been overshadowed by Robby's existence in the story. It makes Robby an unpopular character, however his existence is the basis of Johnny and Miguel's relationship. Robby was right when he said that Johnny is just using Miguel to feel better about screwing up with Robby. Robby's existence is one of the greatest subversions in this "deadbeat loser meets a kid who changes his life" and "underdog kid meets a mentor who helps build him into a champion" generic story. In fact, the generic layers of Johnny and Miguel's story have lost emphasis as the series has gone on, and they're both somewhat sidelined in the dojo war, Miguel much moreso than Johnny has been.

Meanwhile, Johnny and Robby's relationship continues to be a highlight. Kreese and Silver make a point to remind Johnny that Robby is his "real" son and remind him of his failures with Robby. Kreese wanted to pass down his legacy to Robby because he's Johnny's son. Narratively, Robby is Johnny's weakness, and Kreese and Silver use Robby against him. In s3, Bobby met Robby in person and experienced Johnny choosing Miguel over Robby. Ali asked about Robby specifically, despite seeing Johnny's Facebook page filled with pics and videos of Miguel.

Throughout the series, there is an overarching plotline since s1e4 that Johnny chooses Miguel over Robby. In s5, the Mexico trip and apartment fight were used to portray the continued dysfunctional dynamic in Johnny's relationship with Robby: Johnny will choose the Diazs over Robby, even if Robby is compliant to Johnny. After Johnny found out about the baby, Johnny kept bringing up his failures with Robby, even late into s5. In fact, the last statement made by a character about Johnny becoming a father again is Silver's jab that Johnny will "screw up another kid", a reference to Johnny's abysmal behavior with Robby. The statement was bookended by scene transitions between Johnny and Robby. (End of this post.)

In s5, Johnny kept mentioning his failures with Robby when it came to the baby plot device. Johnny obviously hasn't been redeemed, as he himself keeps bringing up his failures. (Another example of irony and juxtaposition in s5.) The plot device baby had the greatest impact on Robby's character journey though, not even on Johnny's. Johnny once again went through his round-about arc of trying to change but ending the same, as in previous seasons when he's tried to make positive changes. The impacts of the plot device on Carmen and Miguel were barely explored. Johnny used the baby to force a violent "resolution" to the rivalry, which Robby lost. (Again, more juxtaposition. Johnny is failing Robby more as Johnny selfishly prepares for the baby coming and tries to use the baby to make up for screwing up with Robby.) After Johnny accidentally dropped the baby new, Robby completely adopted a fawn response and spent the rest of the season people-pleasing.

In Daniel's case, Robby is the student that Daniel has the greatest attachment to, aside from his own kids of course. Robby, not Miguel, is the most connected and cared about by the LaRussos, especially the OG Karate Kid. Daniel wanted to be a Mr. Miyagi to Robby (though Daniel has failed in doing so since s2e10).

Compared to the other mentor-mentee pairs (Miyagi-Daniel, Johnny-Miguel, Robby-Kenny), Daniel offered to train Robby (Robby's Call to Adventure). In s1, Robby is shown receiving the Miyagi-style training from Daniel that Daniel had received from Miyagi in kk1. In s2, Robby helped Daniel rebuild and bring back Miyagi-Do. Daniel brought Robby into his home and called him family at one point, fulfilling parental responsibilities for Robby in addition to being his sensei. After the school fight, Daniel searched continuously for Robby for 2 weeks. After Robby got out of juvie, Daniel went to pick him up and told him that Miyagi-Do will always be a home for him. Later, Daniel was so worried about Robby that he was taking it out on his students. In s4, Daniel went to warn Robby about Silver. In s5, after Daniel gave up his fight against Silver, only Robby was able to convince him to come back to the fight, showing just how important Robby is to Daniel.

Robby played a role each time Daniel closed Miyagi-Do. At the end of s2, Daniel closed Miyagi-Do because of Robby's actions at the end of school fight. At the beginning of s5, Daniel closed Miyagi-Do because they lost the tournament. Although they lost because of Silver paying off the ref, Robby teaching the Cobras Miyagi-Do had put Miyagi-Do at a noticable disadvantange, to the extent that Daniel gave Robby a talking to about giving Miyagi-Do "secrets" away.

Although Miguel is Sam's boyfriend, he barely has importance in Daniel's story or to the LaRussos. Daniel had no conversations with Miguel in s5 despite the time they spent together in s4. Amanda and Anthony haven't even spoken to Miguel alone, while Robby has had one on one conversations with each of them. Anthony praises Robby's karate and looks up to him, while not interacting much with Miguel. Anthony was excited about karate for the first time while watching Robby fight Hawk in the s1 avt. Anthony is connected to Robby through the rivalry with Kenny, which is Anthony's most important storyline.

Robby's importance and central role in the dojo war

Throughout the series, Robby has been at the center of the dojo war between Miyagi-Do and Cobra Kai. In s1 and s2, Robby linked Daniel and Johnny. In s3, Robby was the only kid approached by all 3 senseis. Each offered him a place with them. In s4, Robby was the only kid to have one-on-one scenes with each sensei. In s5, he was the only one in Miyagi Fang who had people in Cobra Kai that he cared about. (I'm not counting Johnny and Devon cause Johnny forgot about her pretty quickly, while Robby kept making efforts with Tory and Kenny and had rejoined Miyagi-Do to take down Silver to help them.)

Robby is the only one of the kids to have had full season arcs in each dojo. Robby is also the only kid to have fought in a final match in both avts and for each dojo in a final match: Miyagi-Do in s1 and Cobra Kai in s4. Interestingly, both times he wasn't wearing the dojo's emblem when he finished each match. He was wearing the plain white gi in s1 and took off his gi top in s4. At the s4 avt, the two main dojos in the dojo war were introduced with reference to Robby. Robby has had avt matches with all the main boy characters: Miguel, Hawk, Demetri, and Kenny.

In contrast, Miguel's role in the dojo war has noticably diminished since the school fight. This is another reason Miguel fails to fulfill the role of a true protagonist in the story, as many are starting to notice. Overall, he's mostly been a supporting character to other characters and is a foil to Robby's character. The injury and Johnny creating Eagle Fang effectively sidelined Miguel in the dojo war, while still giving him some scenes here and there to make it seem like he has some relevance to the overall plot in s3 to s5. Johnny is still pulled into the dojo war from time to time because of Daniel, Kreese, or Silver. Johnny also helped coach Sam in the s4 avt final, making Johnny as a sensei significant during the avt finals, while Miguel ran off to a plotline that essentially went nowhere for him.

Of all the kids, the cycle of generational trauma is being passed down to Robby specifically from all the senseis: Kreese to Johnny to Robby (as emphasized in the s3 finale flashbacks and confrontations at the dojo) and Silver to Daniel to Robby. (Daniel's history with Cobra Kai affects his view of Robby, "too much Johnny in him".)

Robby in turn has tried to mentor Kenny better and actively try to break the cycles of generational trauma from both Johnny and Daniel. In s5e4, Robby told Kenny a combination of what Johnny told Robby about Kreese in s4e4 and what Daniel told Robby about Silver on s4e6 wrt Cobra Kai. In addition to dealing with external rivals, he has the greatest internal battles out of all the kids. As Daniel said, "The biggest battle is always the one within."

Robby has been using both styles of karate to try to cope with his "hate"/traumas and "find balance", the goal of his character journey. From late s1 to the end of s2, he tried to follow the Miyagi-Do way of finding balance but failed. In late s3 and to the end of s4, he tried to use Cobra Kai to channel his anger into fighting to help him find balance but he quit Cobra Kai after his match with Kenny because of "what it turns you into".

In s5, Robby wasn't focused on finding balance but was instead focused on dealing with his situation with Johnny and Miguel and with trying to take down Silver and Cobra Kai. Interestingly, Robby rejoined Miyagi-Do, instead of Eagle Fang, in his fight to take down Cobra Kai.

Robby carries the essence of Miyagi-Do with him, wherever he goes, including juvie (The Heart of Miyagi-Do - Part 1 and Part 2). Although, this show is called Cobra Kai. Cobra Kai represents the generational trauma that is being passed down from Kreese to Johnny to Robby and from Silver to Daniel to Robby. Miyagi-Do is presented as the opposition to Cobra Kai: The goal of Miyagi-Do is to teach a better way. In fact, all the important avt final matches and the ST trial matches were Miyagi-Do vs Cobra Kai. The whole goal is to take down Cobra Kai. In s4, Robby beat the whole Cobra Kai dojo using Miyagi's teachings. Of course, the kid who carries the essence of Miyagi-Do will be the one to take down Cobra Kai for good in the end.

In a story about every character having their own pov, Robby's pov not being shown is significant. At this point, Robby has been wronged by the most characters, especially the "good guys". In s5, he had one-sided "resolutions" with these characters. So far, the "bad guys", Kreese and Silver, haven't hurt Robby to the extent that the "good guys" have. The writers have said that every character is gray. Robby's pov of the characters would support this notion. The fact that, in s5, Robby can stand up to Silver fearlessly but can't stand up to Johnny without fear of abandonment speaks to this.

s6 is Act 3 of the story. Act 3 is when there is usually a significant paradigm shift for the characters. In s5, Robby's one-sided resolutions and the "recap" of his story from s1 to s4 indicate that his side of the story is yet to be told but is now set up to be told. In s6, the writers could shift to telling the story through Robby's pov, or they could continue to tell the story through the other characters' povs and have them learn and understand Robby's pov.

Johnny's redemption as a character lies in his relationship with Robby. If Johnny were already redeemed, he wouldn't be repeatedly bringing up his failures with Robby himself throughout s5, while he is shown continuing to fail Robby. Since s1e4, Johnny has been using Miguel as a do over. Since s5e3, Johnny has been using the baby as a do over. The Diazs and the baby are plot devices to make Johnny's relationship with Robby worse. By the end of s5, Johnny has everything to lose, which he even foreshadowed in his self-centered speech to Carmen, while Robby has nothing to lose including himself, which he gave up to stay in Johnny's good graces. Miguel is Robby's bully in the story. If Johnny starts to learn Robby's pov, not only would Johnny truly realize how and how much he has hurt Robby, Johnny would also realize that he trained, supported, and enabled Robby's bully to hurt him and get away with it as long as his bully "shows mercy" in the end.

In s5, Daniel relied on Robby to get back into being a sensei. He'd told Johnny to ask Robby how much he'd helped Robby. Robby is the student that Daniel has failed the most. In s5, Daniel repeated exactly what he'd said to Robby in s3, and Robby side-stepped Daniel's apology. To repair their relationship properly, Daniel has to actually listen to Robby's pov. Daniel also has to come to realize and accept that the teaching "no bad student, only bad teacher" applies in his relationship with Robby. He has to let go of the belief: "I'm willing to admit when I fail, or maybe Robby has too much of you [Johnny] in him."

This is Johnny's redemption story, and Johnny has failed his Robby his whole life including all 5 seasons. Robby is also Daniel's most important (non-related) student, and Daniel has failed as Robby's mentor. Johnny's and Daniel's character journeys won't be complete until they start repairing their relationships with Robby, start helping him overcome the odds that are against him, and support him to win the world tournament and succeed in his future.

Robby is the protagonist in the story. He has been since the start.

Cobra Kai has always been Robby's story.

Some references:

https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/

https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/

https://thewritepractice.com/

(As always, please don't comment or reblog with dismissive comments about the nuance in the story. The nuance is part of the story, and the story is exploring important topics like trauma, bullying, neglect, and dysfunctional relationships.)

[daeneryscel]

hotd episode three thoughts:

episode was titled ‘the burning mill’ for the battle of the burning mill and we only get to see the aftermath. no black aly, no bloody ben, just pain and suffering.

“i can’t fault him for upkeeping his oath.” is such a lame excuse, since he tried to kill her last episode, they could’ve just had her say she wants to honor erryk and his sacrifice by allowing him to have peace with the brother he still loved despite everything.

i went from ‘i still kind of care about you even though i’m not a big fan of the changes’ in regard to rhaenys to full on dislike. good job condal!! “maybe you can talk peace with alicent (she has proven time and time again her demon spawn will not listen to her) 😜 luke taking aemond’s eye started the war (a 7 year old defending his brother 6 years ago caused the war, sure jan) 🤪 im gonna imply you being practical about the war’s inevitably will cause me to stop supporting you 😋 just in a silly goofy mood 😛😛”

i liked mysaria and rhaenyra’s conversation, and appreciate the setting up for addam claiming seasmoke.

gwayne fucking hightower had more speaking lines than jace. glad to see he pissed his pants when confronted with moondancer however.

baela>>> arguably best part of the episode. dany’s theme playing over her and moondancer’s entrance is reaffirming my fancast <3

corlys whining about joffrey only being six and knowing nothing of the sea is honestly hilarious since that’s how most heirs start off as? also not surprised he doesn’t consider rhaena good enough to be his heir when he’s proven time and time again he’ll only support women in power if it benefits him. can’t wait to watch greencels bend over backwards and claim this is rhaenyra’s fault once again !

actually the way rhaena was treated this episode is just major ick vibes. the writers have this obsession with making every non-dragon rider targ a liability to their family? which makes no sense at all, but they couldn’t even include one line of rhaenyra saying she was sending rhaena to the vale for her safety to? i’m glad she told her upfront she was entrusting the future of their house to her (an omen for morning? i’m not holding my breath) but still.

you mean to tell me aemond’s biggest adversary in life wasn’t his toddler nephews??? but instead his big brother??? who has no redeeming qualities and proves he’s willing to hurt him to feed his own ego??? shocked, i tell you. absolutely shocked. ‘true brotherhood’ defenders are going to lose their shit when aemond attempts to kill aegon next episode (apparently twice? for once i’ll be on his side i guess).

the showrunners brought dyana back just to have her serve the man who raped her and be sexually assaulted again, what a feminist take!

had to see a dude get sucked down in the same scene. now i need luke to take my eye(s) out too.

i did NOT need to see aemond’s dingaling what the fuck

baelon’s… bastard… son? the same baelon who was head over heels in love with alyssa? the same baelon who never took another wife nor even looked at another woman after her death? the same baelon who’s sister couldn’t even convince him to take her to wife? vaegon having a bastard would be more believable.

helaena apparently doesn’t give a shit about jaehaerys! more absolute bangers from the writing department. instead of going mad over this loss and deliberately throwing herself out her window she’s going to see a really pretty butterfly that she must have and accidentally tumble over the balcony.

rhaenys praising jaehaerys is so fucked, he’s the reason you’re not queen right now, and he laid the groundwork for the greens to have any claim at all EAT MY ASS

why is alys american.

daemon’s harrenhal arc seems very interesting -so far- it was great to milly’s rhaenyra again (also am i the only one that thought she was holding a baby, jace or a hypothetical ‘what if daemon married her to begin with’ and not sewing up jae’s head) also “you will die in this place” is peak foreshadowing honestly.

alicent continues to pull the ‘i didn’t think the leopards would eat MY face!!!’ “i have perhaps been unkind but never dishonest” copium much??? you deliberately made rhaenyra and her kids life’s a living hell bc she managed to find happiness in her situation and you couldn’t stand that.

that sept scene was dumb as shit but at least rhaenyra has exhausted every single option possible for no war and her antis can shove it and be reminded that she’s the only monarch that gave a shit about the destruction about to happen. ‘team neutral’ team fucking idiot more like.

episode is rated 2/10 for baela, rhaena, jace/joff/aegon/viserys crumbs, and house blackwood mention.

[synchodai]

HotD Episode 7 Live Reaction

But if you close your eyes, does it always feel like nothing's changed at all. But at least there be dragons.

I stiil don't like that Seasmoke fell in Addam's lap. Addam should have been the one to actively claim Seasmoke. I just really don't like HBO's insistence on "power is better wielded by those who don't want it."

"I may appear lowborn but I know much and more of service." Those two statements shouldn't have a "but" between them.

Maester Orwyle continues to be the surprise MVP of the greens.

The Master of Laws Iron Rod getting dialogue? The rumor mill works fast in Westeros.

I like that the nobility are putting so much resistance to lowborn claiming dragons. If there's anything that threatens highborn, it's social mobility.

For "20 years the lords of this realm levied insults against my sons," Jace confirmed to be 20. So he's just one year younger than Aegon? Now that wouldn't make sense because Rhaenyra wasn't even married during Aegon's first nameday during that hunt episode. Good to know Jace has been aged up though. He, Aegon, and Cregan are probably all in the same ballpark age.

I love Addam's acting, he's almost as expressive as TGC. But why are the interaction scenes on this show so short? "The family doesn't know how to communicate their feelings" yeah, yeah, but at least write down for them to have SOMETHING to say. Corlys came to this room literally just to say 6 words.

They should have given Oscar Tully red hair to make him stand out from the Riverlords. The scales on his armor are cool, but there should be more to visually signal that this kid is basically a petty king.

The camera following it's actors from the back is kinda...not doing it for me. I don't wanna see their hunched backs, I want to look at the sets and their faces.

"We honor the old ways." Most of y'all don't, though? Only certain houses in the Riverlands worship the Old Gods, one of them being the Blackwoods who are being accused of going against the "old ways." What do the HBO writers think the "old ways" mean?

Out of all decapitations on this series, this one had the least punch. Music and sound design did all the heavy lifting.

STOP SHOWING THEIR BACKS I DON'T WANNA SEE THE ACTORS' BACKS ANYMORE

Also, I can't imagine how this war will end if the Blackwoods aren't black loyalists. With Daemon executing their House head, I don't see them being that enthusiastic about supporting Rhaenyra anymore. Are they just gonna replace Benjicot with Oscar? And Aly is just...gone now? Who's gonna stop Cregan Stark then?

Again, we're just letting whoever inside the king's room even when he says they can't come in? Guards really suck on this show.

Alyn's voice is like honey. I could listen to this man read audio books.

And they just let the Targaryen princess run off like that? The guards on this show really suuuuuuuuck.

Poor Rickard Thorne dragged into Alicent's impromptu camping trip.

EEEEEEEEEEEEEY JACE, LOVE CLASSIST JACE. LOVE AEGON'S DREAM CRITICAL JACE. EEEEEY JACE AWARE THAT WHEN RHAENYRA DIES PEOPLE WON'T ACCEPT HIM. LOVE LOVE LOVE IT. Finally some character drama and juicy interpersonal conflict that makes sense with characters clearly stating their stance through dialogue and we don't have to fill in the blanks as the audience. I was so starved. They actually made what was in the book better with this one.

I like Hugh the Hammer's new storyline, sue me. It's a cliche call-to-adventure fantasy peg, but I like it.

"I need more dragons to end bloodshed." Rhaenyra, what do you think dragons do? Rhaenyraaaaaaa

Beautiful Vermithor shot. And of course they leave all these innocent poor people to the mercy of a merciless behemoth. Ugh, beautiful, blood sacrifice, cruelty, impressive sfx, yessss.

CLAIM THAT DRAGON. CLAIM THAT DRAGON. DO IT NAMED CHARACTER, you have a name and backstory so you can do it!

"Come on!!!" Vermithor: Well...when you put it like that, I suppose.

Nana Silverwing! She looks gorgeous.

WAIT, WHY DID THEY TAKE HER TO KING'S LANDING??? WHY IS KL AND DRAGONSTONE LITERALLY 5 MINUTES AWAY

[serymn31]

HotD S2E3 raw reaction

I hate watch House of the Dragon with the expectation that it will be bad and ridiculous, with Rhaenyra bias, and I don't expect too much. For me, this episode was less dull than the first two and had its comedic moments. Spoilers ahead.

House of the Dragon or House of the TIME SKIPS? Seriously, this is a lazy trick. The Blackwoods vs Brackens started out as a street fight then BOOM, all of them are dead in the battlefield. They could have given us an epic battle and showed us more about this conflict, about two houses who just needed the flimsiest excuse to kill each other. The two new faces were pretty good for their short screen-time too. Bracken Twink has a lethal face card too. Hope they kept them longer but of course this show will kill anything that will make it interesting.

HARRENHAL is my goth dream and Alys finally showed up and she’s beautiful! I don’t know why there were people who are against Gayle’s casting but with her show look she’s perfect for Alys.

We get a vision scene with young Rhaenyra sewing back Jaehaerys’s head, but this show can’t give us an interaction between Helaena and Jeahaerys when he was alive. Who are MOTHER AND SON.

I actually like that they showed us more of Baela and Rhaena. Rhaena is probably my team black favorite, frustrated, misunderstood, and her family doesn’t value her because she has no dragon yet. Also, have I said FUCK CORLYS yet? This shows that everything is not sunshine and rainbows in Team Black.

Rhaenys is a weird character but I kind of have a soft spot for her. Maybe because I love to see a woman of Eve Best’s age on screen. In this episode, it feels like Rhaenys knows that it won’t end well for her? And she still fought for Rhaena’s claim for Driftmark.

Aegon and Aemond in the brothel. Peak sibling energy from Aegon right there.

Aegon doesn’t look that bad actually when he’s moving in the armor. In the photos he looks like a bug.

JAEHAERA SIGHTING

GOD Gwayne is so CUNTY. What a spoiled bitch! I actually like how Criston put him in his place and reminded him that there’s WAR

Rhaenyra disguising herself to talk to Alicent personally? I agree on most of the criticisms of this scene but from a dumb lesbian POV this was gold. It was so FUNNY. Rhaenyra is flustered and obviously didn’t think this through. “I will be slain but not before I kill you.” It was hilarious.

Damn, why is this always about Viserys? Why do we have this dumb misunderstanding on Alicent’s part. Whether what Viserys wanted or not, Aegon has a pretty strong claim too. However, Alicent was right. There’s really no turning back and its too late for Rhaenyra to stop it.

Good on Rhaenys for reminding her that Aemond’s eye was cut out which indirectly lead to this tragic turn of events

I would like to see an interaction with Helaena and Aegon but Helaena baby, it’s okay for you to grieve. I feel like Jaehaerys’ death is continually being minimized by the writers. Also Helaena’s room is a dream.

That’s it. I actually spoiled myself on tumblr before I watched and let’s see if I still have the attention span for next week’s episodes.

[darkpoisonouslove]

HotD S02E06

This show is exhausting, the fandom - even more so. I didn't even want to write this but I hate not finishing stuff I've already started and abandoning my "reviews" halfway through the season just didn't sit right with me. Also, I guess I do want to bitch even if I would be infinitely happier if I didn't have to. There is good news, though, and that's the fact that I did like this episode more than the last one! These thoughts might not be in order because I cannot be bothered to open the episode again and look through it:

Daemon is so funny for real. He has NOT caught on to the fact that Alys is playing him. I think this might be more misogyny from him, though. Look at it - he is blaming Simon, who is allegedly in charge of all of Harrenhal and he is absolutely not clocking Alys despite the fact that she literally gave him a potion to drink. He cannot perceive that there might be some kind of other power different from being a lord/king.

I do not know why Alys is helping him tbh. I guess she sees how pathetic his state and that of the entire team Black is and she figures that if she doesn't help, the war will be over soon. So if her motive is prolonging the war to ensure both sides take as many hits as possible, then she probably wants to end the Targaryens/dragons. It's really funny how they are making team Black the underdogs, however. What, with Daemon alienating all of the Riverlands houses and the loss of Rhaenys and their largest dragon, they are presented at a severe disadvantage. In the book, though, team Black has more dragons and more houses that support them... and they still fucking lose. Guess we know why the writers are "adapting" the situation to make them look like they will come out on top from a worse initial position but it's really funny because who fucking fumbled the Riverlands, guys? It was Daemon! He had one job and the only reason he might come back from his mistake is because Alys probably wants to see all Targaryens dead. What a funny way to present your "heroes".

Love how they also made Alys say that Rhaenyra should get the crown because she's never wanted it. I guess that conversation in 1x02 where Rhaenys warned her it would all lead to war because the men of the realm won't accept her as queen and Rhaenyra's response boiled down to "Fuck them! I will have my crown!" was just some kind of dream we mass hallucinated then. Istg this writing is a fucking joke. I don't think the writers are aware that adapting something doesn't mean "do the exact opposite of the main theme of the source material", which they are doing by insisting Rhaenyra has some kind of divine right to the throne. Read. The. Fucking. Book!

The way they're "adapting" Aemond is killing me so I don't even want to talk about it. I just have to say that the Aemond from 1x09 would never do what he's doing right now. I could be repeating myself but the fact that he regretted accidentally killing the boy that slashed out his eye and mutilated him but burned his own brother in cold blood (and was essentially torturing him in this episode) over one minute of Aegon reverting to bullying him like he did during their childhood is nonsensical af. Not to mention that he already had the chance to be king. Aegon literally begged him to let him run away so that he could be free and Aemond would be king and he didn't do it because he respected his mother's wishes. I do not buy that he would change that much over the course of 2 months.

Having Aemond insult the one other disabled character and call him a toad (and torture the other disabler character besides himself aka his brother) was not great. Trying to marry Alicent off after everything that's happened to her? I think the fuck not (at least he didn't insist on that)!

I was thinking that it would be much more suspenseful if Rhaenyra's first attempt at finding more dragon riders was unsuccessful because imagine how much harder it would be to continue with more attempts - both because of her conscience and because all the other candidates would probably not want to risk their lives on what appears to be a doomed cause. In fact, I was so wrapped up in that scene, I didn't even realize that since it was Seasmoke that they were trying to match with a rider, it obviously wouldn't be successful since Addam was to be Seasmoke's new rider. Then they did the horrible death in dragon fire and I thought we were on the same page only for them to take the easy way out and make Seasmoke hunt down the one person that he would accept as a rider. What a cop-out! Make Rhaenyra make the hard choices! Without dragon riders more people on her side would die! She should have pushed through with the plan until she found a rider! Not this convenient way to absolve her of responsibility for risking more people's lives!

Please, tell me there will be more development with Rhaena and the wild dragon. Why would you tell us there's a wild dragon if nothing will be done about it? Frankly, I am more invested in the potential of this situation than half the other subplots on the show.

I have to say I am... concerned as to what's going on with Otto. First, Aemond wants to get him back as Hand, which is a red flag already. With Otto there the chaos and blunders would be minimized, which is definitely not what they would be aiming for at this point. Then Alicent says that Otto hasn't answered her letters. I'm really starting to think that he's dead. Either that or he's in the middle of some shenanigans. I hope it's the latter.

"Oh, was it the Red Keep or was it their mother?" Yeah, that's right! Their mother. Their single. Fucking. Parent! Since Viserys couldn't be fucking bothered with any of his children from Alicent. Do keep telling us how she is at fault for how they turned out and not the constant neglect and obvious preference for their sister that they suffered from their father. I'm sure that sitting there with your eye slashed out while your father refuses to do anything for you and your sister demands that you be tortured further wouldn't have been life-altering for Aemond if it weren't for Alicent's failure as a mother. I get that Alicent would feel responsible with the way that things are going but I do not trust this show (and especially not the fans) to not frame it like it's the truth. Just fucking give us Daeron already (probably won't happen this season). At least her scene by Aegon's bedside was good!

Speaking of Aegon, I do want to see how things will develop with him from now on! He managed to save himself from Aemond for now but Larys' monologue is really getting my hopes up (silly me) that we will see an evolution of Aegon where he will truly start using his mind now and grow smarter and more cunning. I shouldn't hope but that would be amazing!

I find it curious that Daemon has managed to make some emotional progress by being there for Viserys (in the visions) when Viserys is dead in reality. Rhaenyra is the one who's still alive and needs him but he's loudly proclaimed his intentions to take the throne for himself and betray her and there hasn't been any indication that he's changed his mind about that. So basically, he's only able to "be there" for Viserys because Viserys isn't an obstacle to him anymore, doesn't hold any power that could allow him to take away what Daemon most desires while Rhaenyra is still very much a symbol of Daemon "being robbed of what he deserves". It don't count if it won't hurt, Daemon! Maybe try making nice with the relative that's still alive!

I have seen people say that it's stupid for the small folk to say Rhaenyra cares about them when she's the one implementing the sea blockade and that's true to an extent but I think the bigger reason for the riot was that they were convinced there was food but the Greens were hoarding it. I can kind of understand that but imagine that you're starving so much that you're grateful to the person that implemented a food blockade in the first place for sending you food and then... you start throwing the food you were so desperate for at the royals instead of... idk fucking eating it. Even if Rhaenyra sent an excess, you'd still fucking need to eat tomorrow. Also, isn't it funny how the book describes Alicent and Helaena both as beloved by the small folk while the show makes them the target of the riot? I am sure that was a completely innocent, unbiased change on the writers' part.

I understand Rhaenyra's frustration with everyone talking like Daemon will come to save her. As if he can get anything done. I do think that maybe Jace didn't mean it in that way but was trying to reinforce the idea that she should stay protected and let others fight instead of her because without her everything is lost. Finally, a complex situation that makes their relationship more interesting! Can't wait to see what might happen if the thing with Mysaria continues, though I do have my doubts about that. Rhaenyra has really been feeling the effects of losing Rhaenys' support and Mysaria is the only one that's shown faith in her. It could be treated like a weak moment for Rhaenyra where she was seeking reassurance. I'm hearing that a lot of people thought that scene was blasphemy and I'm glad that at least we, here on tumblr, are fucking normal about it aka we're celebrating it. Frankly, both Rhaenyra and Mysaria deserve better than Daemon so I hope they keep making out and more.

[snowblack-charcoalwhite]

Do you have any predictions for s2? Will they completely destroy the greens as many fans think?

Hello, and thank you for the ask!

Truth be told, I gave up on trying to actually predict what will happen in season 2 a while ago - because HotD writers can pull literally every plot stunt imaginable (and whatever you can imagine, it usually turns out to be even worse).

So, I would like to mention some things that could happen in Season 2:

Team Green divided because of their views on the way the war should be fought: most likely, Alicent (team "mercy and caution") vs Aegon and Aemond (team "give them no quarter") with Otto and, later, Criston somewhere in between. This is definitely not what I would like to see; however, since it's quite likely to happen I am kind of interested about Criston's attitude and actions. On the one hand, he is utterly loyal to Alicent and practically bound to take her side (Fabien mentioned this during the promo campaign as well). On the other hand, Criston is a man of war and of action; plus, while he is sworn to Alicent and it's her will he is enforcing, Targtower boys are also close and dear to him. Also, he was once shown to hesitate in carrying her orders out before, at Driftmark (Viserys was still alive and ruling back then, and that made a huge difference, though).

Aemond consumed by his desire for power (because "he's worth it" *hair toss*). It looks like quite a sure thing at this point as well; what matters is how and when it will happen. If the writers make ambition and pride a reason enough for Aemond to stop caring about his family's best interests - I, for one, am not accepting that as canon. Specifically, if he decides to deliberately hurt/try to kill Aegon at Rook's Rest (don't even get me started on this one).

Aegon embracing his role as a King and taking action (it's been pretty much confirmed by TGC several times). Well, this is one of a few good things I can see happening. I think Aegon will still be presented as someone capable of acts of cruelty (and not hesitating to commit them) - in contrast with Rhaenyra and Alicent - but these acts will be justified (although not everyone will see them this way, that's for sure).

I don't even know what to think about Alicent's character at this point. She was given one of the most inconsistent and WTF-inducing arcs in season 1, literally going from "Rhaenyra is an enemy, she will kill my children, and I would die myself before seeing her bastard son marrying my daughter" to "You will be a fine Queen, oh why are you leaving already". From what we've seen, she is not eager to start the metaphorical blasting - but how far will Alicent's unwillingness to resort to violence go? If the show opts for making her defend Rhaenyra from Aegon and Aemond's wrath (which is not a given, but still), from where I stand, Alicent's character will be completely and utterly ruined. And it's not her I will stand with.

Alys Rivers presented as a character full of mystery and dangerous charm. Her playing mind tricks on Daemon and driving him nearly crazy (crazier than he already is, that is) will probably establish her as someone to be reckoned with. I don't think her character will be given much depth this season (if only for the lack of screen time) but the teasing of Alys having something deeper about her than just being "a weird witch woman" might be there.

And the Blacks? Well, in spite of Ryan Condal and Co droning about how "the writing is unbiased, and there is no right side in the Dance. and the story is full of grey characters", I think they (save for Daemon, most likely) will remain their the-true-Queen-Rhaenyra-supporting, righteous selves. Jace, Baela and Rhaena apparently will get some personal character development this season; but will it be enough to make them less of Rhaenyra's appendages and more of characters in their own right? I have my doubts but we`ll have to wait and see.